


On The Whims Of Children

by Neonna



Series: Loveless ABO [1]
Category: Loveless
Genre: Abuse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Aged Up, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Ass to Mouth, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Blow Jobs, Breeding Kink, Come Eating, Come Marking, Come Shot, Deepthroating, Dirty Talk, Dom/sub Undertones, Dubious Consent, Hand Jobs, Knotting, Light Angst, M/M, Masturbation, Mates, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Non-Consensual Voyeurism, Omega Verse, Scenting, Scratching, Sex Toys, Spit As Lube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-05-08 20:19:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 50,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5511734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neonna/pseuds/Neonna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The act of losing their ears wasn't painless, but the exact opposite. Ritsuka won't present until he loses his ears, but he isn't ready for that yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Help Me

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a request...sort of. I received an email asking me to write ABO dynamics, but it was within a different fandom. Now, I have been reading fanfiction probably for the better part of my life, and had no idea a genre like this existed. When I did a little research, I declined the request because ABO dynamics did not appeal to me as a writer. Then I was watching Loveless, and got into a conversation with a friend about them losing their ears. I didn't think it would be a painless process, and started thinking about creating a fic on the topic. Then I remembered the request, and figured I would give it a shot. So, you could say that this fic is partly fanservice, and it was definitely interesting to write. Not my usual style that's for sure. Regardless of my own personal feelings towards this piece, I hope you enjoy.
> 
> IMPORTANT: This fic is currently rated M with no archive warnings, but it will very soon be bumped to an explicit rating with graphic depictions of violence. Please take note before beginning to read. Enjoy!

Their ears didn't just disappear. They weren't magical, mythical creatures, and the act of losing one's ears wasn't as romantic as everyone made it seem. It was excruciatingly painful, but no one ever talked about it. It was the reason the act of losing your ears was a big deal. Everyone played it off as being because it was like a beacon to the world, a neon sign above your head saying 'hey, I'm an adult, looked at me, I fucked someone.'

Ritsuka ran a hand idly over one of his ears. It was so soft beneath his fingers. No wonder Soubi liked to touch them. He leaned back against the wall, tilting his head to stare idly at the ceiling, but not really seeing. Seimei had kept his ears all the way until his death at 17 years old. That wasn't abnormal. The teacher he had in elementary school had been 23, and still had her ears. Although, she often faced criticism when her back was turned. Ritsuka didn't care what other people thought. It wasn't the social implications of losing his ears that concerned him, it was the pain. His hand drifted back up to fiddle with his ears as he thought about it.

His body was becoming desperate. He was craving it, craving not just Soubi's touch, but to take, or be taken. At around the age of puberty, everyone goes into heat for their first time. It usually happened in high school, but it wasn't completely uncommon for someone to experience their heat in late middle school. Some people's ears are lost at this time, but for the most part, everyone's parents protected them, and forced them to bear their first heats alone until they were old enough to choose a mate. It was how someone's ears are lost that decides whether that person becomes an Alpha, a Beta, or an Omega, but it wasn't a decision that could be made consciously. Since Ritsuka had experienced all of his heats alone, he couldn't say for sure, but everyone always says that your instincts decide.

What he presented as wasn't of much concern to Ritsuka either. He didn't care to be honest. He had the advantage of being born male, and male Omegas were sterile. No matter what happened, he didn't have to worry about becoming pregnant. As a Beta, he would mostly stay the same as he was now, and Alphas, similar to Omegas, just had a few extra quirks he would have to deal with. It was still the pain...

His next heat was coming up soon. In a few days, he would begin to smell as his body secreted pheromones in an attempt to attract a mate. Soubi would be sensitive around this time too. As an Alpha, his goal would be to protect Ritsuka as it wasn't entirely uncommon for people his age to go missing. Ritsuka would also have to be careful of his own safety. It was a very dangerous time in his life.

As his bond with Soubi became stronger, it became more, and more difficult to wait out his heats alone. The older he got, the more his body ached for Soubi, but he wasn't ready yet to deal with the pain. He liked his ears.

A violent crash from downstairs was enough to startle him from his thoughts. Ritsuka froze, his muscles tensed as his fight, or flight instincts barreled into him. Even though he was in his first year of university, he still lived with his mother. Soubi had offered many times that they move in together, but it was too dangerous. He wasn't ready to lose his ears, and living with an unmated Alpha wasn't wise. It was safest for him here where he could make use of the special room built for Seimei. He didn't want to admit that a tiny part of him still loved his mother, and he worried over her mental health.

After a few moments, the angered cries, and sobs of his mother downstairs faded away, and Ritsuka let out a breath. She wasn't coming upstairs, not this time anyway.

Ritsuka had tried to find a place where he could live alone. A small apartment close to his university, but no one will rent to a single person with ears. It was too much of a liability, and too likely that Alphas, or Betas would try to break in, thus damaging the property.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly from the dizzying effect of getting up too quickly. He took his time organizing his textbooks into his backpack, and patting himself down to ensure he carried his wallet, keys and cellphone. Once he was sure he hadn't left anything behind, he swung his backpack over his shoulder, and stepped out from his room.

Downstairs, his mother had lie down on the couch. She appeared to be sleeping, and didn't move as Ritsuka tip-toed past her to escape through the front door.

 

His university campus was average, he supposed. The students who had ears, and the ones who didn't were mixed. Yuiko was already in class by the time he made his way to his seat. She closed her phone with a snap, and beamed at him. Not only had Yuiko lost her ears to Yayoi back in high school, but she brandished a fairly fresh mate mark on the side of her neck. Between Ritsuka, and Yayoi, Yuiko hadn't yet decided what she wanted to do at university, and so, had opted to take several different classes, including the same Introduction To Photography class that Ritsuka was taking.

“I have something to tell you,” she said as he took the seat next to her. “Yuiko, and Yayoi are moving in together!” Yuiko still hadn't quite lost the habit of referring to herself by name, and would at times make a slip of the tongue, especially when excited.

Ritsuka knew what the societally acceptable response was, but he just couldn't bring himself to do what was expected of him. Instead, he stared critically at her smiling face for a moment. “That's good, isn't it?” he said. “After all, the two of you are mated now. Isn't it about time?”

Yuiko laughed in good nature at his response, but she ran her fingers absently over her mate mark with a distant look for a moment. “So, what about you and Soubi? When are you two going to mate? And when are you going to lose your ears?” She flicked the edges of one of his ears, making him instinctively flatten them.

“I'm just not ready to lose them, okay?” he snapped.

Yuiko backed off immediately. “Alright, fine. But you don't have to lose your ears in order to have his mate mark.”

“I know that -” The arrival of their instructor cut his response short, and his temper was left to fizzle out as class begun.

He didn't like people asking questions about him, and Soubi. It was none of their business.

By the time his classes were over for the day, it was almost dinner time. Ritsuka said goodbye to Yuiko, and Yayoi who had come from his university to pick her up. He had to force down the uncomfortable tickle that stirred his stomach at seeing Yayoi's arm wrap around Yuiko's waist. It was a casual gesture, and not inappropriate in the slightest, yet something about it bothered him.

Ritsuka was playing with his ears as he walked through the university campus towards the train. He didn't have to lose his ears to be mated to Soubi. It was like Yuiko said, and it was something he already knew, but something was holding him back. He couldn't explain why he didn't want Soubi's mark, but it wasn't as though he hadn't thought about it. There would come a day when he would want it, Ritsuka was sure, that time just wasn't now.

As he sat on the train, eyes unfocused, and in thought, hushed snorts, and chuckles pulled him back to reality. Directly across from him sat a group of boys who looked to be about his age, maybe a year, or two older. There were four of them, and they glanced at him not unlike a group of teenage girls. Ritsuka shot them a glare. They were making fun of him, it wasn't entirely uncommon. It wasn't just his ears that drew attention. As Ritsuka had aged throughout high school, be became taller, and broader, but he was no meat head. He had retained much of his feminine looks from when he was a child. If Soubi were to be called handsome, then Ritsuka would be pretty. He was cute, and that, combined with his ears often drew snickers, cat-calls, and even the odd grope from men of all ages.

He didn't have to smell them, the group in front of him were Betas. It was in the way they held themselves, their facial expressions aggressive, dominant, but if they were Alphas, they wouldn't be half-turned away from him, wouldn't be half-assing it. An Alpha would face him fully, and wouldn't be afraid of stepping into his personal space. An Alpha would be smoother, more direct, preferring to lean in close to whisper what they wanted from him. An Alpha wouldn't be so...childish.

When his glare predictably failed to deter the group, Ritsuka got to his feet, and moved to the other side of the train car. Leaning against the wall, he took a few deep breaths to calm the angry pulsing of his heart. It was when the group shuffled to their feet, and crowded towards him, pushing each other, and laughing that twinges of fear began to trickle into him.

Instinctively, he thought 'safe'. He needed to be safe, needed to feel safe. Soubi. So when he got off the train at the platform that was closest to Soubi's house, and not his own, Ritsuka began to walk at a fast pace upon hearing the group of Betas follow him off the train. It wasn't just coincidence as he was pursued along the familiar streets.

Ritsuka knew the area well, but not as well as the part of the city around his own house. He didn't know which of the tricky little side streets would lead him back to his destination. He couldn't hope to ditch them, not around here.

Panic began to rise in his chest in the form of bile that stung the back of his throat as – with less people around – he heard whistles, and howls coming from his pursuers. He could hear it, they were far back enough so as to not raise suspicion, but close enough to follow wherever he went. Hands slick with nervous sweat, Ritsuka pulled his phone from his pocket.

 

_Soubi. I'm coming over now. There are men. Help._

 

Please be home, Ritsuka prayed. Please be home, and not at the gallery.

He was jogging now, his legs running on instinct. His mind was beginning to turn white as fear engulfed him. He had never had anything like this happen before. Harassment, yes. Whistles, yes, but no one had ever chased him down. No one had ever made him feel this afraid.

Ritsuka didn't know when he had burst from a jog into a full-out sprint. He was running blindly through the streets towards Soubi's house. All thoughts of trying to give the Betas behind him the slip were gone as the heavy thump of their feet pounding the pavement behind him echoed in his ears. Their scent had changed as they got closer. They were no longer fooling around, laughing. Now they were serious, and with a serious intent to hurt. He could feel hot tears building at the corners of his eyes, and he was sure his fluttering heart was going to burst out of his chest with fear.

It had felt like a wall, and even as the breath was knocked from his lungs, he was turning away, hands raised in fists, and prepared for a fight. Strong arms encircled him, and he cried out in protest, but the sound was muffled as he was pressed tight to a warm chest. The scent was what made him mewl pathetically. It was spicy, thick, and familiar. It made him nose towards the owners' throat in search of more. Ritsuka wanted to be wrapped in that scent because it was going to keep him safe. He felt the growl vibrate low in Soubi's chest, quiet, powerful, and so very aggressive. It was a warning, and at the same time, Ritsuka felt himself being shifted to the side. Soubi was turning him away from harm, putting his body in between Ritsuka, and the Betas who had by now been halted in their tracks by the scent, and sight of a powerful Alpha.

“Well, it looks like we have some trouble makers. What do you want to do with them, Sou-chan?” Kio's voice was far away. Ritsuka peeked from where he stood with Soubi's arms encircled around him, and could see Kio standing behind the group of Betas. A nasty sneer painted his lips, and he had his hands tucked into his pockets, head tilted to the side in an act displaying his contempt.

“It's not nice to pick on those weaker than you,” Kio scolded, closing one eye, and wagging a finger at them. “You know, adults call authorities. We aren't kids, and this isn't a street brawl.” He pulled his phone from his pocket, and flipped it open. “What do you think?”

The group seemed to deliberate silently among themselves before they shot Soubi one last glare, and took off to their next venture. Even after they were gone, Soubi didn't release his grip on Ritsuka's waist. Kio made his way over to them. Ritsuka could see the ink of Kio's tattoos that coloured his wrist as the arms of his shirt was rolled to the elbows. From his attire, he had been painting.

Over the years, Kio's love of tattoos, and piercings had only grown, and was now working on finishing the last bit of a sleeve that would stop at the wrist. Kio was a Beta, which meant that he didn't suffer from ruts like Soubi was prone to. It made sense that they had becomes roommates, Kio was the perfect person to help keep Soubi under control, but there were times when Ritsuka was jealous of the time Kio got with Soubi.

“Well, shall we head back now?” Kio asked. “Ritsuka, are you okay?”

Ritsuka nodded, resting his head against Soubi's chest, and inhaling deeply. It made sense as to why he was drawn to the comforting scent of the older male. Biologically speaking, he could be compared to that of a pup. Ritsuka's instincts made him seek out the strong for protection, but a part of him resented the fact that he needed to be protected. Why did people like him get treated like second-class citizens?

The apartment shared by Soubi, and Kio was just around the corner. Kio chatted about his latest art project while they walked. Soubi was silent, but that was to be expected. He could be seen tilting his head up ever-so-slightly to sniff at the air, no doubt seeking signs of the group of Betas. Even to his undeveloped nose, Ritsuka could smell the Alpha's agitation, and it made his ears tickle with uneasiness, and his tail twitch with nervous energy. Only when the three of them had made it safely back to the apartment, did Soubi breathe a sigh of relief.

Kio excused himself, saying that he had an errand to run, and left Ritsuka, and Soubi alone.

Soubi moved to the other side of the sparse room, pulling a carton of cigarettes from his pocket. He parted his lips in preparation to take the end of a cigarette between them, but stopped himself, and tucked the carton back into his pocket.

The main room of the apartment shared by Soubi, and Kio was nearly empty. They did not have a television, or entertainment equipment, instead, almost the entire living space was reserved for easels, canvases, and other painting equipment. There was a single, over-sized couch that occupied space in the middle of the room. It was a place where Ritsuka would sit if he happened to be over while Soubi was working. He would lie, and watch the back of his lover flex as the moved the paintbrush across the canvas. Sometimes, Ritsuka would lose track of time, and close his eyes where he would drift to the rhythmic sound of Soubi's paintbrush.

It was this couch where Soubi sat, and motioned him over. Ritsuka obeyed, but remained standing as Soubi began to unravel the bandages around his neck.

“Aren't you going to say something about losing my ears?” Ritsuka mumbled.

Soubi paused to look at him, part of a bandage dangling off one hand. “What do you mean?”

“Aren't you going to say that the reason those Betas were harassing me in the first place is because I still have ears at my age?”

“Is that what you expect me to say?” Soubi continued to unravel the bandages until they had come completely off, revealing the scars underneath. Ritsuka had always thought the bandages he wore were too conspicuous, but upon seeing the scars that marred the flesh, the bandages didn't seem so bad. People stared at the bandages, but Ritsuka decided that they would probably do worse upon seeing the scars.

“If I scent mark you again, it should help keep those kinds of people away from you,” Soubi said. “But you had stated many times that you are not ready to lose your ears, why would I encourage you to do so? Unless, that opinion has changed?”

Ritsuka shook his head. “No, it hasn't.” He felt tears gather in the corner of his eyes. He was going to cry, like a child, and he hadn't the slightest idea why.

“Ritsuka.” He felt a warm hand wrap around his that had somehow clenched into a fist. He allowed himself to be tugged forward until he was straddling Soubi's lap, and leaning into his throat. The spicy scent of Alpha was stronger now with his bandages off, and Ritsuka nuzzled against it. He allowed the scent to surround him until the quaking in his body had eased. When it did, he pulled back just enough to examine the underside of Soubi's throat, at which Soubi allowed his head to fall back against the couch. Ritsuka winced at the sight of Soubi's scent glands. They were swollen so subtly under the skin, and must have been painful.

“Soubi,” Ritsuka said. “Why haven't you been scenting yourself?”

“Haven't had the time,” Soubi hummed in response.

Leaning forward, Ritsuka swiped his tongue over the sensitive gland. A soft moan vibrated through Soubi's throat as relief was given to the inflamed tissue. After a few more gentle licks, Ritsuka latched onto the skin with his lips, and sucked. The spicy Alpha scent grew stronger as Soubi relaxed, and waves of his scent washed over Ritsuka. It was warm, and the Alpha pheromones pulled from the glands succeeded in comforting Ritsuka from the days' events.

By the time Ritsuka pulled back to examine his work, Soubi was gripping his hips, and drawing circles with his thumbs to encourage him to keep going. The skin on the side of Soubi's throat where Ritsuka had worked over with his tongue now held a red hue. The swelling had gone down, but it still wasn't where it should be.

“Soubi,” Ritsuka said. “I'm going to have to use my teeth. I'm sorry, but it might hurt a little.”

Soubi nodded, and Ritsuka leaned back in. He nipped at the skin with sharp teeth, eliciting a grunt from his lover. When he was satisfied, he repeated the process on the other side.

“Ritsuka, please,” Soubi's voice was strained, and his hands tightened their grip on his hips. The Alpha was panting. Ritsuka had been so focused on the task of relieving Soubi that he hadn't noticed that he had been grinding his hips against what was now a prominent bulge straining the front of Soubi's pants. It had been instinct, the instinct to please an Alpha. The scent Ritsuka was drawing from Soubi's throat changed so very slightly. It was tinged with Alpha arousal, which made his own mouth fall open, and he began to pant against Soubi's skin.

He was being pushed back, but his mind was so foggy that he had no choice but to allow it. Soubi's scent had caused his own length to harden, confined by his jeans. He moaned, an approving sound as Soubi's weight pressed into him, and back against the couch cushions. Before he knew what was happening, his arms were above his head, and he was tilting his chin to the side in an act of submission.

“Ritsuka,” Soubi growled as he leaned in to run his tongue over Ritsuka's throat in turn. “I love you.”

The words cut through his pheromone-induced fog like a knife, and he felt a blush creep up his collar. “Don't say that. It's embarrassing.”

 

\----------

 

Several days later, Ritsuka's scent changed. It wasn't something he could easily smell himself, but it showed in the faces of those around him. His heat was coming.

During this time, Soubi insisted on accompanying him to, and from school. Each morning he was waiting outside his house, and each evening Ritsuka was greeted at the front gates of his university. Soubi insisted on being scented daily as well. The strong smell of Alpha on his skin made anyone hesitate, and think twice about approaching him, but he was still unclaimed. He bore no mate mark, didn't have the smell of being mated, and still had his ears. Soubi's scent permeating his skin would only do so much.

With his heat coming, Ritsuka was more needy. When he thought about it afterwards, his face would flush with embarrassment, but as Soubi nosed at his throat, he would moan, and whine with need. His legs would spread on their own, and he would bare his throat easily.

The day of his heat, Ritsuka knew what was happening. When he woke, tangled in his bedsheets, flushed, panting, and with a familiar burning in his veins, he knew what he had to do. Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, he stumbled out of his room, and leaned against the wall for support as he made his way downstairs. He already felt gross with his skin slick with sweat, and his hair sticking to his forehead.

The sight of his mother standing in front of the door to the basement gave him pause. There was a darkness in her eyes that unsettled him. He opened his mouth to speak, but she just clicked her tongue, and turned her back on him, moving into the kitchen.

Ritsuka stood at the top of the stairs, swaying on his feet. He reached for the door, to close it behind him, and keep him safe from any intruder while he worked his way through his heat. His fist clenched at air. He tried again. Nothing. Through the white-rimmed haze of his heat, some part of him noticed the door was not there.

“Get out of my house!” His mother suddenly shrieked, accompanied by a symphony of shattering class. “You're not the real Ritsuka!”

Something inside of him was beginning to panic. His breath was becoming more shallow. Help me.

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ritsuka is in heat with no place to wait it out. He's a public health hazard now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fell into a bit of a slump in the middle of writing this one. It happens sometimes, but I will often spiral downwards, and begin to lose my motivation to write. So, I went back, and read some comments readers had left on some of my other works, and it helped to pull me out of it, and back to writing. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave comments on my work. It doesn't matter whether it is praise, or constructive criticism, the fact that you have taken the time to let me know something about my work says a lot, and means so much to me. It lets me know that I am not just throwing my work into some deep, dark void, and that there are people out there who read, and maybe even enjoy my work.
> 
> As for this fic, it was longer than I had initially intended it to be, but it felt rushed when I tried to remove parts in order to say all I had originally wanted to. The rating is continuing to remain mature, but I promise it won't be that way for long. Enjoy!

All the air rushed out of his lungs as he was slammed up against the wall. A mewl escaped his lips before he could stop it, and Ritsuka felt himself tilt his head to the side in an act of submission. His instincts were trying to seduce his assailant into stopping, but even through the heavy fog of his heat, he knew it was useless. Appealing to the instincts of his crazed mother was of no use because she had already rejected her pup.

It had been years since he had been physically overthrown by his mother, but his heat made him weak. He was cold, shivering as the sweat dried on his skin. He blinked, and when he opened his eyes, a crisp white blur was careening towards his head. His legs gave out, and he slumped to the ground just in time to hear the plate shatter as it collided with the wall above him. Glass rained down on him, caught in his hair, and sliced into the skin on his raised hands. The scent of blood, his blood was enough to jerk him to his feet. His mother faced him, chest heaving, and eyes wild. Ritsuka didn't allow her the time to throw the second plate in her hand before he was running.

Outside, the sunlight was too bright, and it made his eyes sting. His mother screamed obscenities at his back. The neighbours were probably beginning to stare, but all Ritsuka cared about was getting to safety. His instincts drove him through the streets at a punishing pace because he knew that if he were to stop he would garner unwanted attention from the Alphas, and Betas that he ran past. He could smell their arousal as their heads snapped at the scent of a pup in heat. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of their hungered looks, and their jaws gaping open to pant, and draw in more of his scent. Ritsuka could see them tilt their noses to the air to sniff him out, and then he was gone.

The train wasn't safe. He was a public health hazard now. Authorities would be notified that a pup was wandering the streets, and they would lock him up to pant, and writhe, and moan alone. It would be for his own safety they would say. He needed a heat room, but he had always used the one in his house. As he ran, there was only one place he could think of going.

A hand encircled his wrist like steel, and he was yanked to a halt. His shoulder strained, and he cried out as he twisted in the grip that held him. The smell of an unfamiliar Alpha entering rut made him want to cough, and gag. Pups in heat, and Omegas in heat held several crucial differences; an Omega's instincts made it want to mate with the strongest in the pack, but a pup was driven towards safety first. An Omega would probably respond to the unfamiliar Alpha that sniffed at his nape, but Ritsuka just wanted to get away. He jerked away from the nose that tried to press against the scent glands at his neck. At his resistance, a large hand tried to scruff him, and force subservience. Ritsuka yelped, and twisted violently. He caught sight of the hand of his assailant too close to his face, and instincts made him close his jaws around the skin. A deep howl made the ears flatten on top of his head as the taste of copper flooded his mouth. As soon as he felt the hand of the Alpha let go of his wrist, Ritsuka ducked to avoid receiving a blow to the head. He continued running, ignoring the mixed cries of anger, and pain behind him.

His lungs burned as he pounded on the door to Soubi's apartment with his fists. He gasped as he clawed desperately at the surface until it was opened, and there stood Soubi, blinking sleep from his eyes. Ritsuka didn't wait to be invited in, he shoved into the apartment, and clung to the taller man, burying his nose in the crook of his neck, and inhaling the familiar scent.

“Ritsuka? What's wrong? You're shaking.” Soubi said, wrapping his arms around his lover. His voice was raspy with sleep, and he buried his nose in the hair at the top of Ritsuka's head.

“Soubi,” Ritsuka panted, kneading at the front of Soubi's shirt. In the safety of his lover's apartment, the symptoms of his heat were brought to his attention. His body burned as though fire were igniting in his veins. A tingle spread its way from his lips as he brushed over the scent glands at Soubi's throat. He was trying to draw out the thick scent of Alpha arousal he instinctively knew would be there, responding to his heat.

“Ritsuka.” Soubi's arms stiffened around him. “You can't be here.” Soubi backed away from him, arm raised to cover his nose, trying to block some of Ritsuka's heat scent.

“What's all the noise, Sou-chan?” Kio was making his way down the hallway towards them dressed in nightclothes, and rubbing his eyes.

“Kio.” Soubi turned away from him. He was already beginning to pant. “Ritsuka is in heat. I can't be around him. Can I ask you to take care of him until I get back?”

Ritsuka's throat was on fire. Soubi's scent was intoxicating. He smelled like paint, and cigarettes, and something else that was entirely Soubi. He wanted to be wrapped in that scent. No. He needed it.

“God Ritsuka. Don't beg me. I can't take it.” Soubi gripped his shoulders, and tried to keep Ritsuka from nuzzling against him. He couldn't hear it, maybe he was so far gone that his hearing wasn't working properly, but he could feel the vocal chords in his throat vibrating. Ritsuka was speaking, or maybe there was just a jumbled mess of sounds escaping him.

When the scent disappeared, it left him cold. He needed to chase after it. His legs moved him forward, but another scent wrapped itself around him. It was different from Soubi's, and with its help, his vision gradually began to clear.

“There you go. Ritsuka? Can you hear me?” It was Kio's voice.

Ritsuka opened his eyes. When had they closed? He was lying on the floor in Soubi's apartment. Kio was sitting next to him, wrapping his hands in bandages. The heat in the veins was still there, but it had dulled enough for him to think more clearly.

“Kio? What happened?” Ritsuka asked. He moved to sit up, but Kio's hand on his chest stopped him.

“Don't try to move, or the drugs might wear off sooner. I gave you a dose of suppressants, but it isn't a permanent solution. Soubi went out for a while. He'll be back. In the meantime, I thought I'd bandage your hands for you. You were bleeding quite badly, but I guess you wouldn't have noticed.”

Ritsuka shifted against the uncomfortable hardness of the hardwood floor that pressed into his back. Kio seemed quite intent on bandaging his hands...too intent. Ritsuka took notice of the slight flush in his cheeks. Kio was a Beta, but that didn't mean he was entirely unaffected by having a pup in heat right in front of him.

“I'm sorry, Kio,” Ritsuka said. “This is probably hard for you too. I didn't know where else to go.”

Kio shook his head in silent reassurance, but didn't verbally refute him.

While Kio continued to wrap his other hand, Ritsuka raised his other that already sported a white bandage. He flexed, but didn't feel any pain. It was possible that the effects of his heat were dulling the painful sensations for him. His wounds must have been caused by the plate his mother had thrown at him. What was he going to do now? He couldn't go back, could he?

“Can I wait out my heat here?” Ritsuka said.

At his words, Kio's expression turned sad, as though he were trying to apologize with his eyes. “I'm sorry, kiddo. You know we can't let you do that. Soubi won't be able to handle it, and...I'm not going to lie to you, I don't think I'd be able to either. They way you smelled when you first came in here...” Kio's eyes became clouded at the memory. “Anyway, I don't know how Soubi didn't just mount you.”

“So that means, you called _them_.”

“Afraid so. It's too late for us to get you to a rented heat room. You'll be safe there.”

The authorities were on their way to collect him. The people who would come to pick him up would be specialized in handling Omega, and pups heats. Ritsuka had heard stories about them, but he never had to use their services himself. He always had his own personal heat room. The stories weren't good, and he could probably expect this heat to be painful. Before he knew it, Ritsuka could feel hot tears well up in the corners of his eyes, and spill down in cheeks in thick streaks. He placed his free hand over his eyes, feeling the wetness of his tears seep through the bandages. Kio didn't say anything as tears flowed freely down his cheeks, but squeezed his hand before he had finished up with the bandages, and let it go.

“Ritsuka,” Kio said. There was a tension in his voice, an apprehension. “I'm not Soubi, but I know pups in heat sometimes crave the attention of someone else. If you need to...well cuddle until the authorities get here. I could. Only if you want.”

From under the safety of his own hand covering his face, Ritsuka turned Kio's words over in his head. He wanted to hide. He felt weak and vulnerable, and didn't want Kio to see him like this, but there was something else too. His instincts were screaming at him to take Kio up on the offer. He was in heat, in an unfamiliar place, and about to go into an even more unfamiliar place. He was scared, and at that moment, Kio was the most familiar thing to him. Slowly, hesitantly, he nodded.

“Alright. Don't move, or the drugs might work their way through your system faster. Tell me right away if anything isn't comfortable for you, okay?”

Ritsuka nodded again.

Slowly, Kio slid to lie next to him on his side. He didn't look at Ritsuka, but it wasn't because of embarrassment. As a Beta, Kio held power over Ritsuka, especially since he was in heat. As he invaded his personal space, he kept his head turned away to bear his throat, making himself vulnerable in turn. When Kio was settled, he opened his arms in invitation. Ritsuka took it, and snuggled close, nosing into the crook of Kio's collarbone. As Ritsuka pressed their bodies flush together, he inhaled Kio's scent. It was different than Soubi's, less spicy, but more soft. As a Beta, Kio didn't have the same protective, aggressive needs that Soubi had, and Ritsuka found it comforting.

Kio held him, his hands pressing high on his back. It was a respectful gesture. He didn't want to touch Ritsuka in any intimate way.

“Is this okay?” Kio asked. “Are you feeling better?”

Ritsuka nodded against the collar of Kio's nightshirt. His body felt very different from Soubi's. He was shorter, closer to Ritsuka's own height, and build. His hair gathered about his neck, and shoulders in no discernible fashion. It tickled Ritsuka's face.

“You smell good, Kio,” Ritsuka said.

He felt Kio's heartbeat stutter against his hands. “I...thank you. You're probably noticing now that you're in heat.”

Ritsuka smiled. “Maybe. It's warm, and comfortable. Thank you for being kind to me.”

They lie there together, the silence stretching comfortably between him.

It was an odd sensation to have suppressants in his system. Ritsuka had never taken them before. It was law that they never be given to pups who still had their ears as it could have adverse effects on them presenting later. He had been given suppressants out of necessity as he was a public health hazard being in heat in public, but he didn't quite know what to make of it. Throughout his life, Ritsuka had been in heat many times. Pups went into heat more frequently than Omegas went into their heats, or Alphas went into ruts. It was his body's way of attempting to attract a mate in order for him to present as he wouldn't until he lost his ears. So he had experience dealing with his own heats, but with the suppressants working inside him, it was almost as though he was having an out-of-body experience. Ritsuka was aware of the regular symptoms of his heat, but it was as though they were happening to someone else.

The front door slammed open, signaling the arrival of the authorities. Ritsuka clung to the front of Kio's shirt, reluctant to let him go. He could feel his ears pressing down flat against his skull, and his tail tucked tight against his body. Gently, Kio pried his hands off him, mumbling words of comfort. Trembling, Ritsuka went with the Betas dressed in suits. If he didn't go willingly, they wouldn't hesitate to take him by force. Walking in between the Betas, Ritsuka looked wildly around for Soubi, hoping to see him one last time, but he wasn't there. Of course he wasn't there. They wouldn't allow any Alpha to be around him now, especially an unmated one.

The van was cold, and smelled unfamiliar. Its design was less like a minivan, and more like a heat room on wheels, but without all the creature comforts. It was completely contained, ensuring the scent of him didn't arouse any Alphas, or Betas they passed. Ritsuka was directed to step up into it, and was strapped down with restraints coming over his shoulders, down his chest to meet the rest of the seatbelt around his waist. Once he was in place, the door was closed, encasing him in total darkness. His heartbeat rose until his pulse was more like a frightened animal, and he had to breathe deep to calm himself back down. If there weren't suppressants swirling around in his system, he would probably be too overcome by lust to care about the claustrophobic van, the dark, or the straps that made it so he could barely move. They would transport him to where he could wait out his heat, and he just prayed it wasn't anything like the van.

 

By the time the van lurched to a halt as its destination, the suppressants had worn off, and Ritsuka's heat had returned tenfold. Before he was lifted from the confines of the vehicle, a mask was slipped over his nose and mouth. The scent it produced was calming, and made his body heavy. His vision faded in, and out of focus as the scent engulfed him. He was being carried. The lights above were fluorescent. It hurt his eyes. The smell of bleach. It smelled almost like a hospital.

The heat. His entire body burned, and ached. He gasped, feeling as though he were inhaling fire. His skin itched, and his clothes were suffocating him. The collar of his t-shirt suddenly felt as though it were constricting around his throat. He was hard, achingly so, and he could feel his asshole flex with the desire to be filled. This was heat.

Ritsuka lie still for a moment, panting, and feeling sweat stick to his skin. If given time, anyone could get accustomed to anything. He took time to sort through the sensations. Heats could be dangerous because the overbearing lust could cause him to neglect his basic needs, especially water. With the number of different fluids his body lost during a heat, it wasn't difficult for him to become dehydrated. Somewhere deep in his clouded mind, he registered that he wasn't at home. He wasn't in his own personal heat room, and that space was lost to him now. He was somewhere else, some government facility, and he very much doubted that they would be monitoring his health.

He sat up, forcing himself to go slow. A wave of pleasure coursed through him as his swollen cock brushed against the inside of his jeans. He swallowed, his adam's apple bobbing, and coughed again as his throat felt like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. First he stripped off his shirt. It was almost soaked through with sweat. He felt immediate relief around his throat, almost like he had taken a dog collar off. Next, he looked around him in search of water. The room he was in was small, much smaller than the one at home, and like he suspected, it had very little creature comforts. He sat on what could be described as a bed, but it definitely wasn't used for sleeping in. It was essentially a raised slab of leather that wasn't in any way soft, or comfortable. It was dark, sterile, and easy to clean. The rest of the room was brightly lit, and so quiet he could hear the hum of the fluorescent lights. Two doors were side-by-side. Ritsuka guessed that one led to the bathroom while the other led back out into the hallway. There were no windows, but a large screen that bordered an entire wall produced a friendly image of a waterfall, no doubt to try and make the room feel less claustrophobic. Under that screen was a long, white table with dozens of bottles of water, and several white towels.

Both his hands were still bandaged, but he couldn't put up any scent of blood. His wounds couldn't have been too serious, and he would need to remove the rough material before he began to touch himself.

The water felt good as Ritsuka took several deep swallows from one of the opened bottles. It moistened his throat, and helped to soothe the burning in his veins. This heat was going to be rough. Ritsuka didn't expect the room to be equipped with the usual...necessities. It was a place to keep him safe, and nothing more. Everything else was up to him. Since there was no fridge, or other signs of food, he guessed they would feed him at certain intervals during the day. His stomach was already rumbling. Beside the door were several buttons he didn't recognize except the blazingly obvious call button. He would be able to call for someone if he needed, but there wasn't a chance in hell they would let him out.

Ritsuka finished the entire bottle of water, and cracked another bottle to wet a towel. He used it to rub at his neck, cleaning away some of the sweat, and stickiness. He hadn't even started, and he already felt this dirty, but he supposed very soon he wouldn't care anyway. He was aching, pulsing in his jeans. He needed to be touched, but if he did, it would only get worse. The more pleasure his body received, the more it demanded. He wouldn't be in his right mind to even think about washing himself later.

The towel was rough as it scraped across his skin. It was similar to one found in a cheap hotel, but cleaner, worn, and stiff from countless washings. He rubbed it over his face, wiping away the grime, and helping the skin to return to a softer, less greasy state. He poured water over his head until the ends of his hair dripped. Wiped with the towel. Soaked the fabric with more water. Wiped down his arms. Added more water, and finally he trailed the towel down his chest. Carefully, he wiped around his nipples, avoiding the peaks. He peeled down the waistband on his pants as far as it would go without unbuttoning them, and dabbed at the skin that was exposed.

When he was as clean as he supposed he would get with only water at his disposal, Ritsuka finally gave into his urges, and squeezed himself through his pants, biting down on his bottom lip to suppress a moan. It was going to be a long long few days.

 


	3. Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ritsuka begins to wait out his heat in the hospital, and Soubi is desperate to see him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response to this series has been kind of funny. I haven't gotten a lot of feedback, but a quite a lot of subscribers. It seems as though everyone needs some time to decide if this series is half-decent, or not. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions, please let me know. I know some aspects are a little different than other omegaverses, and now that chapter 2 is completed, I feel as though I could write a primer posted at the start of the series if need be. So please, let me know if some things aren't clear. Enjoy!

Pain shot up from his knees as Ritsuka crumpled to the floor, but it hardly registered through his clouded mind. He hissed through clenched teeth as he palmed himself through his jeans.

Pups went into heat every three months, but it only lasted three days. Just three more days of the burning. Three more days of moaning, and writhing. He clawed at the bandages still covering his hands, ripping them off, and tossing them aside in a huff of frustration. His forcefulness didn't cause the wounds to bleed again, but he did maim the skin. He felt the damaged tissue pulse with pain.

Ritsuka bit down on his bottom lip as he lowered the zipper of his jeans. The only thing that had held him together this long was the knowledge of relief soon to come. He nearly sobbed as his hand came into direct contact with his cock, and pulled it free. Hunched over himself like a desperate teenager, Ritsuka pumped, and squeezed. It took only a few strokes before his back was arching, and he was crying out as he coated his hand with come. Panting, he brushed the hair from his eyes, the tips of the long strands tickling his nose.

From experience, he knew he should use this time wisely. He forced himself to his feet, wiped his come-coated hand hastily on a towel, and shucked off his pants, and underwear, leaving them discarded in a heap on the floor. It felt good to be naked, helped to ease the burn that was taking on a painful edge in his body. At his heat progressed, the pain would only get worse as his body craved a mate.

The leather 'bed' made his skin prickle as he lie himself down on it. He wanted soft, and comfortable, and sensual, but there was no use in allowing himself to think that. His legs were already spreading wide on their own, bent at the knees.

His moans were louder this time as he worked his hand along his shaft, careful not to chafe as he lacked lube. It wasn't enough, he was desperate. He thrust up into his hand, his eyes screwed shut tight. His first load was due to being so pent up, and not being able to give in at the first signs of his heat. Now, his heated mind provided images of Soubi. Soubi naked, and smiling gently. Soubi moaning, and tilting his head back as he worked not to thrust into Ritsuka's mouth. It was that image, and the memory of the weight of Soubi's cock on his tongue that made him come a second time.

Panting, Ritsuka lie still while he came down from his high. The fire in his veins had subsided a bit, and he forced himself once again to his feet. He wet another towel with water, and wiped himself, and the bed off. The room was beginning to stink of sex, and sweat. He took a few more swallows of water, and curled on his side on the bed. If he was lucky, he would be able to get a little sleep before the next round.

 

Soubi tapped his fingers against the hard surface that was the receptionist counter. His heart was thumping in his chest. All he wanted was to see Ritsuka, to make sure he was okay. They wouldn't allow him in the same room of course, but if he could convince the nurses he was family then he could watch his young lover in the heat room. The receptionist scrutinized the papers that had been handed to her needlessly slowly.

After Soubi had rushed out of his own house, leaving Ritsuka behind with Kio, he had called the authorities. He had no other choice, Ritsuka's scent would attract curious Alphas, and Betas, to Soubi's unsealed apartment. As a pup, Ritsuka's heat could last up to three days, and Soubi didn't have the stamina to keep him safe, not to mention the self-control to keep Ritsuka safe from him. It had taken everything he had not to get lost in the sweet scent of his lover's heat. All his willpower not to throw Ritsuka down, and mount him when he began to plead for Soubi to take him, to help him ease the painful warmth of his heat. Soubi had felt himself begin to enter rut, and ran out of there. If he had inhaled more of the pheromones Ritsuka was giving off, then he would have been practically mindless until he knotted.

After giving the authorities a call using his cell phone, Soubi had gone to Ritsuka's house. His lover had a habit of keeping his bedroom window unlocked, and Soubi used it as a way to gain entrance into the house. Ritsuka's bedroom smelled strongly of him, and his heat scent, but it was beginning to cool now. An older heat scent was easier to resist than a fresh one, and Soubi went to work. He gathered up Ritsuka's backpack, his textbooks, and his camera. Slinging the backpack over his shoulder, Soubi opened the closest. He dug out Ritsuka's duffle bag, and filled it with clean clothes. Before leaving, Soubi teased a black book from the bookshelf, and opened it up. It was a fake, the pages hollowed to make a container that held important documents. Soubi grabbed all of them, and placed them in his jacket pocket before replacing the book on the shelf. Giving the room one last once over, Soubi left.

They told him Ritsuka was already at the hospital by the time Soubi arrived to give them Ritsuka's health information. He was sleeping, and that tidbit of information made Soubi's heart leap. In other words, they had drugged him as a pup in heat wouldn't sleep unless he had already come. That brought Soubi to where he was now, waiting impatiently for the bureaucracy to hurry up, and process Ritsuka's information.

“I'm sorry, but this will take a few minutes,” the receptionist said, smiling sweetly. “Why don't you sit down?”

Soubi resisted the urge to be unpleasant. He nodded, and smiled back, but did not sit down. Instead, he marched outside, grabbing a packet of cigarettes from the inside of his jacket. Soubi stood across the street from the hospital, leaning back against a large tree. He held the cigarette between his lips as he lit it up, and took a much-needed drag.

As he waited, he considered the building in front of him. Somewhere in there was Ritsuka. His instincts were strong. He only wanted to find him.

Whispers, and giggles reached his ears from the people in the area around him, but Soubi ignored it. He had been pushed so close to rut, and without a doubt still carried faint traces of Ritsuka's heat smell. Alphas, and Omegas were less common than Betas, but they were far from being a rarity. Even though he smelled of Ritsuka, he wasn't his mate, and bore no mate mark. Because of this, Soubi was often the target of interested parties, both men, and women.

“Sou-chan!” Kio ran up to him, and bent at the waist, hands on his knees, panting. He looked as though he had rushed all the way there. “How is Ritsuka?”

Soubi wrinkled his noise. Kio reeked of Ritsuka, and not just Ritsuka, but Ritsuka's heat scent. A pang of jealousy rose up inside him, but he forced it back down. Kio wouldn't have taken Ritsuka's ears, and even if he did he would reek of sex himself. His friend's hair was still damp from a recent shower. Kio must have scrubbed every inch of his skin in order to try, and rid himself of the heat scent of his best friend's boyfriend.

“Ritsuka's inside,” Soubi said. “They are processing his paperwork now.”

“Do you really think they'll let you see him? You're not technically family, and you're not his mate either.”

“I don't know. Kio, there's something I want to ask you, why do you smell so strongly of Ritsuka?”

“Ah, I thought you'd ask that. I'm sorry Sou-chan. I showered to try, and get most of the smell off. I knew it would bother you. I had offered to...well cuddle with Ritsuka to help put him at ease. Sometimes the presence of someone familiar can calm a pup down, and it worked, but I didn't touch him. He was in his right mind after I gave him a dose of suppressants.”

Soubi nodded, and offered a cigarette, which Kio took with a happy smile. As Kio lit up his cigarette, Soubi studied his friend. It couldn't have been easy for Kio to have been with Ritsuka while in heat. Kio wouldn't have lost his mind like Soubi, but that didn't mean that it was easy either. Soubi's Alpha scent in the apartment would have aided in reminding Kio who Ritsuka belonged to, but without a mate mark truly claiming Ritsuka as his...it must have been an incredibly tempting situation to be in.

Soubi appreciated Kio. The Beta kept him in line, and nudged him in the right direction when he needed it most. He suffered much less from the intensity of his instincts than Soubi, but because of that, it was easy for Soubi to take him for granted.

“Well, he's safe now,” Kio said. “It's probably not fun, but all that's left is to wait out his heat. What are you going to do if they don't let you in?”

“Then I'll stay here,” Soubi replied.

“At the hospital? For the next three days? You can't be serious.”

Soubi took one last long drag, and tapped his cigarette out. “I should have seen this coming. I should have at least prepared an alternate space in case things fell through at home. There's no sense in worrying about that now, it's already done. All I can do for him now is be here when it's all over.”

Kio's expression softened. “Alright, fine. Just don't forget about your own health. Do you need me to stick around for anything else? I've got a commission that I need to get done.”

Soubi waved his hand dismissively.

“Great,” Kio said. “I'll take Ritsuka's bags back to the house for you. Is there anything I should leave?”

“A change of clothes.”

Together Soubi, and Kio assembled an outfit for Ritsuka that Soubi hoped he would wear. He chose the most soft, comfortable clothes out of the duffel bag. Ritsuka would need them after his heat.

After Kio left, Soubi lit up one more cigarette, and sucked a few more drags into his lungs before making his way back into the hospital.

The nurse smiled sweetly at him, and informed him that she had finished processing Ritsuka's paperwork. Soubi allowed an easy smirk to paint his lips.

 

Ritsuka didn't know if he actually slept, or not. He didn't know how long he lie there, it could have been moments, or it could have been hours. He only knew the burning that made his entire body tremble. His heat was beginning to boarder on pain. It felt as though the blood in his veins were on fire. He was already panting, his heart was skipping, but something wasn't right. The pain was starting too early. Beyond the blinding lust, the first day of his heat was the easiest, and pain had never started until well into the second day. Was it because he was getting older? The pain had been more intense the last couple heats.

Ritsuka moaned, rolling his hips, and biting down on his bottom lip. He was hard again, but experience told him that orgasm delay wasn't a bad thing. If the pain was already starting, he could expect it to get worse. The more times his body came without a mate, the more it fought back. When he would have his heats at home, over the counter painkillers would help take the edge off the pain, but he had never liked the way they made him feel detached from himself.

The scent of Alpha itched in his nose. It wasn't fresh, his heated mind was only supplying him with the memory of Soubi. When Ritsuka had come to his house, desperate, in heat, and without a place to go, Soubi had smelled normal, but then something had changed. The more Ritsuka was around him while in heat, the more Soubi was pushed into rut. Ritsuka's mouth watered at the memory of his calm, spicy scent suddenly turning sharp, and feral. It had been the scent of a young, strong Alpha getting ready to mate, and breed. It was a smell that Ritsuka had never experienced from Soubi before, and it made him shake with need. Soubi was always so calm, in control, but in those moments, with his pupils beginning to dilate, and his nostrils flaring, that steady control had begun to slip. What would Soubi be like completely unhinged? At that moment, aching, and moaning alone, Ritsuka craved to see that sight.

He felt his asshole quiver, aching for something to fill him. Without his usual toys, he would have to make due with what he had. Ritsuka wet two fingers by sliding them into his mouth. Even the feel of his own tongue swirling around the digits sent a shiver down his spine. His cock pulsed, full, and erect against his stomach. The flared head was coloured a dark pink, and leaked droplets of clear fluid onto his navel. He sucked his fingers for a moment longer, coating them as liberally as he could. When he removed them from his mouth to circle his asshole, the contact made him whimper. A pink tongue darted from between his lips to lap at a string of saliva that had ended up on his chin.

He wished he had lube. Even through the daze of his heat, Ritsuka could feel the tips of his fingers dragging over his twitching hole, catching on any miniscule spots that lacked his saliva. He didn't push a finger inside himself, not yet. Instead, he teased himself, circling the tight hole, both wetting the area, and stalling for time, trying to delay orgasm. More saliva pooled on his tongue, and Ritsuka let it. He didn't swallow, but allowed it to build before removing his fingers from around his ass to spit onto them, wetting them again. He rubbed his fingers together, spreading the fluid, and circling his asshole once again. He couldn't contain the moan that tore from his lips as he slowly eased a finger past the tight ring of muscles. He pushed until the first knuckle, and paused, panting. His hole flexed around the finger, desperate, and needy. Ritsuka ached for more, something bigger, but he would only hurt himself without proper equipment.

He groaned low in his throat as his body accepted the intrusive finger, and it slid as deep he could. Ritsuka squirmed as he pulled it out, and pushed back in. The slight stretch was pleasant, but it wasn't enough, wasn't nearly enough. He strained his wrist, trying to push deeper, and brush that spot he knew was there, but his current position wasn't going to allow for it. Trying not to whine in frustration, Ritsuka pulled his fingers from himself completely to turn over. He gathered his knees under him, and braced one arm against the leather below him. Such a position made it so it ass hung in the air, exposed, but he didn't care.

He reached behind himself again with saliva-coated fingers, and was able to push deep deep, but it wasn't enough. A sob wracked his throat, and Ritsuka forced himself to take a moment to breathe. There was no sense in wishing for things that would never come true. He was going to have to wait out his heat here, he would have none of his usual equipment, and it would be painful, those were the facts of life for him right now.

 

Soubi walked into the small viewing room. It was dark, and almost claustrophobic. He snapped the door shut behind him, and sat down heavily on the nearest chair, dropping the small bag that held Ritsuka's second change of clothes at his feet. He leaned back, tilting his head so it rested on the back of the chair, and took off his glasses, closing his eyes for a moment. The silence that encircled him was absolute bliss.

He was tired. Ritsuka had first knocked on his door so early that morning, and it was now beginning to approach evening. He hadn't eaten anything all day, and it had taken a considerable effort to charm the hospital staff into letting him into the room that was connected with Ritsuka's heat room. He finally made it.

Soubi stretched, working out the stiffness in his shoulders. He slid his glasses back onto his face, and surveyed the room. It was like a very small, comfortable waiting room. It was meant for family members who were concerned about their relatives being in heat. The only light came from a small lamp in the corner, and the only pieces of furniture were the leather chair Soubi was currently sitting, a leather loveseat, and a coffee table in the middle. The entire room was set up to face the opposite wall, which was currently covered with a curtain. Soubi swallowed hard. On the other side of that thin piece of glass was Ritsuka, Ritsuka in heat no less. Soubi could still taste the sweet scent that had radiated off his younger lover, remembered the overwhelming urge to flip Ritsuka over, expose his rump, and mount him, but that was just his Alpha talking. When it came time, when Ritsuka was ready for him to take his ears, giving into his instincts would prove fatal. Ritsuka was a pup, and a pup was not an Omega, they did not operate the same. They may go into heat, but they were not self-lubricating, and not built to take an Alpha's knot. Soubi was sure without a doubt that he would have to go onto suppressants if Ritsuka wanted him to take his ears during a heat. If Ritsuka was not in heat then it might be possible without the use of drugs, but then the act of taking his ears might be too painful. The taking of a pups ears was a barbaric, instinctual, but necessary act. A pup in heat wouldn't be bothered by the pain as much as when they weren't in heat.

Soubi pushed himself to his feet, all tiredness, and hunger pangs forgotten. He had to see Ritsuka. He gripped the curtain in one hand, and took a deep breath before pulling it to the side.

The sudden bright light that flooded the room made him squint. Once he had adjusted to the light, a gasp fell from his lips as he spotted Ritsuka. The room that held him was plain, sterile, and fluorescent. Logically, Soubi knew Ritsuka was in heat, but imagining, and seeing the real thing were very different. There he was _his_ Ritsuka on the bed with his ass in the air, and legs spread nice, and wide. He had worked two fingers in his ass, and his face was contorted as he gave himself pleasure. Soubi stared, mouth agape for another moment before his found his composure. He took a breath, and licked his lips. It was going to be a long three days.

 


	4. This Is Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has got to be one of the most difficult works I have ever done. It was a huge challenge to keep Ritsuka's attitude, and personality consistent during his heat. It was tough to balance his lust, and common sense, but I think – in the end – I may have succeeded. I can't picture this series being too much longer, two, maybe three more chapters, and then it'll all be over. Enjoy!

Ritsuka had always been hesitant with him. His body may have gotten bigger over the years, but it was very rare for him to initiate an intimate moment on his own. Much of his shyness that had stuck with him, Soubi found to be quite endearing, but as he watched Ritsuka finger himself, he couldn't help but be absolutely captivated. Never had he seen Ritsuka so needy, so desperate, and so willing.

Soubi couldn't hear his lover, but he could see his mouth moving around the moans spilling from him. He had taken to riding his fingers, desperately moving on them, impaling himself over, and over. From his point of view, Soubi could see Ritsuka's cock, swollen plump in between his legs. If he looked carefully enough, he could see the pre-cum that dripped from the reddened head, and onto the leather below him. His long, black tail was fluffed, raised upwards, and to the side, presenting himself. Even without Ritsuka's heat scent, the sight made Soubi's Alpha instincts bubble within his chest. His Alpha wanted to be in there with him, to mount, and claim that perfect ass for his own. Even as he watched, Soubi began to pant softly, and his trousers became tight.

With more effort than he cared to admit, Soubi tore his gaze away from Ritsuka, and peered around the small, white room. It was barren, and almost uncomfortably well lit. Right in front of the screen Soubi peered through were water bottles on top of a white table. Some of them had been opened, and emptied already. So Ritsuka had been taking his care of his health, that was good. He was at least staying hydrated.

Ritsuka himself appeared in good health. His skin was flushed with arousal, and the wounds on his hands didn't appear to be too serious. Ritsuka's fingers were slick, but there was so sign of lube. Soubi smiled to himself, and turned away from the window, opening the door.

 

Ritsuka's legs were shaking. His hand was coated in warm, sticky come, but he was still hard. He whined in frustration. His fingers just weren't satisfying enough, especially with only spit at his disposal. His shoulders were stiff. He untangled himself from his contorted position, and stretched, rolling his shoulders, and arching his back. The tip of his tail flicked, showing his agitation.

A noise by the door made him turn, and a small chute slid open. Ritsuka got to his feet, and grabbed one of the towels he had already used to wipe his hand, leaving the clean ones in a pile for later use. Inside the chute was a tray with food on it, no doubt put there by a nurse. The tiny, claustrophobic heat room was beginning to feel almost like a prison. Slinging the towel over his shoulder, Ritsuka took the tray, and moved it to the table where he set it down next to the water bottles. His stomach churned.

The contents on top of the tray were the standard hospital fare, but it did more to turn his appetite away more than anything. Beside the colourless food, however, was a piece of paper folded in half. Ritsuka lifted it, and underneath was a small bottle of lube, the cheap type found in drugstores. He opened the paper, and inside the note was delicate handwriting:

 

_Ritsuka,_

_This should make things a little easier for you. Make sure you eat at least some of the food, and drink water._

_I love you._

_Soubi._

 

Ritsuka stared at the note for a moment, puzzlement staining his features. He looked over one shoulder, and then back over the other, taking in the room behind him. It was as bare as ever, white, and brightly lit. He faced forward, staring at the screen, and the image of the waterfall, frowning. Then it hit him, the screen. Of course, how could he have overlooked that?

“Soubi? Soubi!” The note fell from his hand as he banged his fist against the screen, making it rattle. “I know you're there. Let me see you, Soubi!”

Silence greeted his words. Ritsuka leaned heavily against the screen, panting. With an empty stomach, and most of his energy being used by his heat, the exertion was exhausting. His arms trembled, and he could feel the thin layer of sweat that beaded his brow. He tried his best not to let it show on his face, to still his shaking, tired muscles. Soubi had never seen him in heat before. His heat made him weak, and he hated showing Soubi that side of him. He had taken to leaning his forehead against the screen as his body felt heavy. His cock twitched in between his legs, his body demanding attention once again. When the screen suddenly changed before his eyes, Ritsuka jolted backwards, and stumbled, but managed to keep his footing.

Soubi stood on the other side, a small amused smirk on his lips. One hand rested comfortably in the pocket of his pants while the other disappeared out of sight, probably where the controls for the screen were. He looked a little tired, which wasn't surprising seeing as Ritsuka had roused him from his bed early that day. Behind him was a room that appeared to be smaller than the one Ritsuka currently occupied, but it was darkened, and with comfortable seating. No one was with him, it seemed private enough.

“Soubi,” Ristuka gasped, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “What are you doing here? How long have you been watching?”

Soubi cupped a hand to his ear, indicating that he couldn't hear Ritsuka's words. Ritsuka could feel a growl of frustration well inside his chest, even as Soubi stared at something in front of him, brow furrowed in concentration. The hand that was out of sight moved, seemingly to flick something, and Soubi's smile widened.

“Ritsuka,” Soubi said, his voice slightly hollowed as it came through speakers that sounded like they were placed somewhere underneath the table. “I love you.”

Ritsuka sighed, and raised his eyes to give Soubi what he hoped was a convincing glare through his bangs. “You didn't answer my questions.”

“I asked the nursing staff to be here.”

Ritsuka's throat was beginning to dry again, and the answers to his questions started to seem less, and less important. His body was screaming at him, and even without Soubi's scent, the sight of the Alpha - his lover - made his skin crawl with need.

“Is there...there a lock on that room?” Ritsuka asked. It was as though a weight were slung about his neck, and dragging him down. He forced his spine to straighten, walked back over to the table, and cracked open another bottle of water. As he saw Soubi glance behind him to check, Ritsuka downed a few gulps of water. He turned to the food. His body was using too much energy, and that was partly why he was feeling so weak. The food didn't look at all appetizing, but if he didn't get some sugar into him, he could become too weak to meet any of his own needs later. He ripped into the fruit cup just as Soubi was answering his question.

“Yes, there is,” his lover said.

“Good, strip.”

 

Soubi couldn't stop his eyes widening in surprise at Ritsuka's bold request. No, it wasn't a request, it was a command.

Ritsuka was hastily shovelling spoonfuls of fruit from the cup into his mouth. The desperation in his movements were a combination of needing to attend to the lust in his body, and years of being conditioned for his heats. He knew that if he didn't take care of his body now, he would pay for it later, and that is what made heats so dangerous.

By the time Soubi had moved to flip the lock on the door, Ritsuka had finished the cup, and was wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. A small pink tongue peeked from in between his lips as Ritsuka licked the sticky juice from his skin.

When his young lover was satisfied, he turned his gaze back to Soubi, and frowned. “You're still dressed.”

Soubi arched an eyebrow, Ritsuka had been serious. Alright, he'd play along. Soubi turned his back to his lover as his fingers reached for the collar of his shirt. One-by-one, he undid the buttons until he was able to slide the shirt over his shoulders.

 

Ritsuka's legs were going to give out. His blood sugar was too low, his hands were shaking. It would be at least twenty minutes before he would feel the effects of the fruit he had just eaten. He stumbled backwards, almost feeling intoxicated, until the back of his knees hit the bed, and he tumbled onto it with a sigh. With the stress of standing lifted from his body, he felt a little of his energy return.

He wished he was in the right mind to appreciate the sight Soubi was giving him from the other side of the screen. Soubi's features were handsome, and well-defined. He was trim, and lacked bulging muscles, but that was partly what made him so attractive in the first place. He was lithe, but stronger than he looked. Ritsuka watched the muscles in his back flex as Soubi tossed his shirt onto a piece of furniture in front of him. When Soubi turned, he had one hand fingering the button on his pants. There was a small smile present on his lips, but his gaze wasn't sultery. Soubi didn't play innocent, instead, he stared openly at Ritsuka, giving no indication of Ritsuka's own nakedness. It wasn't lost on him what Soubi was trying to do, he was controlling the situation, even though it had been Ritsuka's own dominance that had gotten them this far, Soubi was determined to show that he was in control. The heat in his veins was reaching a boiling point once again, and Ritsuka didn't have the ability to play mind games.

“Soubi,” Ritsuka whined, wriggling at the painful ache that seemed to penetrate all the way to his bones. “You need to hurry.”

His begging seemed to to satisfy the older man as he popped open the button, and tossed his pants on top of his discarded shirt. He took another moment to toe off his shoes before facing the screen again, giving Ritsuka a few of his naked body. As Ritsuka's gaze roved hungrily, unabashedly over Soubi's body, his fingers itched. He itched to touch, to caress, and deep down he knew that if Soubi were to enter the same room that he would ease the pain of his heat.

Soubi was already hard, his cock thick, and long. At the base was a ring of colour darker than the rest. It looked almost artificial in its perfection. It was where his knot would swell nice, and fat. Ritsuka bit down on his bottom lip as his instincts screamed at him. He wanted nothing more than to see Soubi's knot, and to be the cause of it.

When Soubi wrapped a hand around himself, and smoothed his palm up his length, slow, Ritsuka moaned as though it was him Soubi had touched.

“Ritsuka,” Soubi said. “What do you need?”

“It hurts, Soubi,” Ritsuka moaned. “It hurts, and it's too hot.”

“I know,” Soubi soothed. “I wish I could be in there with you, but you know I can't.”

“I want to feel you, want to feel your knot. Soubi, please.”

“Ritsuka,” Soubi's tone was more firm now. “Look at me.”

Ritsuka didn't know when he had closed his eyes, but the act seemed as though it were keeping the pain at bay because as soon as he reopened them, the pulsing in his body made him gasp, and let a quiet whimper.

“Ritsuka,” Soubi repeated.

Panting, Ritsuka focused until he could see Soubi clearly. His lover was stroking himself slowly. Ritsuka moaned again.

“Good,” Soubi praised. “Get up, and get the lube.”

Ritsuka lifted his head to look at the tray on the table. He could see the small bottle still there. Swinging his legs over the side, Ritsuka sat up. His head swam, and his body shook with the effort. Lurching across the room, Ritsuka took time to look at the food again. It continued to look just as unappetizing as the first time he saw it. Set in a corner of the tray was a tiny chocolate bar, like the kind given out on Halloween. Ritsuka tore open the packaging, opened his mouth, and swallowed the chocolate in one go. With the sweet taste swirling on his tongue, Ritsuka lie back down.

He wasted no time popping the cap, and squirting a dollop onto the palm of his hand. This time, when his hand covered in the cool substance wrapped around his cock, the touch was electrifying, making him gasp. A sigh drew from his lips, and he relaxed at his own touch as he spread the lube over himself. He worked his hand up over the swollen head of his cock, and twisted his wrist, smearing the clear droplets that had gathered there. He became lost in the pleasure, until Soubi's voice cut through the speakers, firm, and commanding.

“Stop.”

Ritsuka cracked an eye open, and glared at his lover. His hand had slowed, but continued to move, finding it difficult to stop once deciding to give into the pleasure.

Soubi tapped the screen, pointing at the lube resting beside Ritsuka. “I didn't give you that to use on your cock.”

Ritsuka pumped himself once, twice, three more times, showing his defiance before giving in to Soubi's suggestion. He rolled onto his stomach, and gathered his knees under him. His body remembered the position from earlier that day, and his cock twitched in anticipation. He rushed to fill himself, spreading the lube onto his fingers, and easing one past the ring of muscles. It was so much easier than it had been earlier. Eager for more, he withdrew the first finger, and bit back a whine at the loss. Adding more lube to his fingers, he slid one finger in, withdrew, and carefully added a second. It didn't hurt, didn't burn, just made him feel full, but Ritsuka wasn't satisfied yet. He began to scissor himself, gasping as he felt the stretch.

He had used too much lube, could feel it wetting his thighs. Soubi's eyes were on him, his gaze made his body temperature spike, and his heart pound. Ritsuka had an idea what he looked like, ass in the air, and spreading his hole until it was gaping. He was sure his embarrassment would catch up to him later, but for right now, all that mattered was quenching the heat in his veins, and surviving the next several days.

By the time his ass had taken a third finger, he was riding the digits just like before, only now they slid deeper into him, reaching, and straining for the spot he knew was there. When one of his fingers brushed his prostrate, the edges of his vision whitened. He felt the vocal chords in his throat strain, but the sound didn't reach his ears.

 

Ritsuka was moaning openly, the sound coming at him through the speakers, no doubt paling in comparison to the real thing. Soubi could see his asshole gaping, puffed, and swollen as he pushed back onto his fingers.

Soubi hadn't had the opportunity to witness Ritsuka finish when he had seen him in the same position earlier, too busy rushing to the store to gift his lover the small bottle of lube.

At first he had felt uncomfortable, being completely naked in a public place, even with the door locked. What he was doing was not the original intent of the way to use the room, but now, upon hearing Ritsuka moan, and watching him ride his own fingers, he no longer cared.

The tip of Ritsuka's tail flicked in time to his moans, but he seemed not to notice, too far gone. Soubi leaned an arm against the cool of the screen, supporting himself as he slid a hand along his own slicked length, glad for his own mind to keep another small bottle of lube in his jacket pocket. He bit back his own moans, swallowing them back down his throat. The room Ritsuka occupied may have been sealed, and sound-proofed, but his was not.

He saw Ritsuka contort himself, reaching with his other hand towards his cock, but Soubi's firm command stopped him. Mindlessly, Ritsuka whimpered in protest, but obeyed, sliding his hand back under his head so he could ride his fingers harder. Soubi stroked himself in time to Ritsuka's movements, already beginning to pant softly.

It didn't take much longer before Ritsuka's cries reached their peak, and he came, cock twitching, untouched, dirtying the leather below him. Sight of Ritsuka, able to come with only his fingers sent Soubi over the edge too. He made a fist around the head of his cock to catch most of the droplets, avoiding dirtying the room.

Ritsuka lie still in a pool of his own come, panting, uncaring. Soubi studied his smaller lover as he reached for a tissue to clean himself. This was a pup's heat.

 

Ritsuka woke to the feel of his hips moving, rutting against the leather below him, his length sliding back, and fourth in a mixture of lube, and his own come. Whimpering softly, he wasn't able to stop himself right away. Shuddering, he slowly regained control of himself, and sat up.

He looked towards the screen, and frowned, not able to see Soubi. Getting to his feet, he made his way to the table, wincing as he walked. His ass was sore, he had been too rough with himself once again. It wasn't uncommon during his heats.

Walking up to the screen, he peered through it. Soubi was stretched across the loveseat, legs crossed at the ankles, and hanging off the armrest. His body too long for the furniture. His head was tilted away from him, revealing the almost delicate line of his throat. His chest rose, and fell at even intervals, fast asleep.

Ritsuka's need was growing once again, but he forced himself to eat half of the cold food on the tray, having to force himself to swallow each bite. He never had much of an appetite during heat, but his body didn't contain enough fat to go without food for three days.

With his belly full, he replaced the tray inside the hatch where it had originally come from, and leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh. After a moment of rest, he emptied his bladder inside the tiny room that contained only a toilet, and made his way back to the leather bed. Sprawling on his back, he wrapped a hand around his cock, and bit down on his lip in an effort to contain his moans.

 

 


	5. Aftercare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ritsuka is in recovery after his heat, but something feels wrong, he's too agitated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here it is. It's just short of double the length of previous chapters. Please take the time to appreciate this work, I had a lot of trouble with this one. Enjoy!

Soubi's scent was everywhere. It had a dizzying effect on him, making his stomach churn. The weakness in his muscles, and the hunger in his stomach wasn't uncommon after a heat, but he didn't think he would ever be able to get used to it. The inside of his mouth felt like it was full of sawdust, and he worked his tongue. Taking it slow, gently, he sat up, gritting his teeth through the pounding in his head.

Soubi's bedroom was immaculate, and beneath the thick Alpha scent, it smelled fresh like detergent. Ordinarily he would enjoy the scent, but at that moment, it didn't smell enough like him. The space he was in wasn't his own.

Ritsuka swallowed around a lump in his throat, and pulled the shirt clinging to his chest away from his skin. He felt gross, and probably smelled of sweat, and come. He needed a bath. He swallowed again, and hissed as his skin was pulled taut over the scent glands at his throat. They were swollen plump from not being scented during his heat. Out of habit, he began to massage the tender flesh, but stopped himself, hands falling back onto his lap. It could be considered rude in Soubi's bed.

The click of the door opening startled him, and Soubi came through it with a glass of water in his hands. He offered Ritsuka a small smile, setting the water down on the nightstand beside him. Soubi's hair was tied back in a high ponytail with a few strands falling around his face.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, sitting down on the bed next to Ritsuka.

Ritsuka shrugged. “A little dizzy. It's a little disorientating waking up from heat in an unfamiliar place.”

With fingers placed under his chin, Soubi tilted his head back to catch a glimpse of the swollen scent glands. “You need to be scented.”

Ritsuka nodded, and flinched away when Soubi leaned forward. “W-what are you doing?” Ritsuka stuttered. “We're in your bed!”

“So? Having more of your scent in this room will help in your recovery.”

Ritsuka shivered as Soubi's tongue swiped over the sensitive glands, instinctively tilting his head back to bear his throat. “But having my scent so strongly in your bed without being your mate. It's going to be difficult, isn't it?”

“Not really.” Soubi pressed their chests together until he coaxed Ritsuka to lie back. While he licked, and sucked at his swollen scent glands, Soubi's hand played with one of his ears, running the tips of his fingers around the soft edges. The heat made him sensitive, and even though it was over, Soubi's touch still made him moan.

“You still smell so good,” Soubi hummed against his skin.

“Really? What do I smell like?”

Soubi paused while he finished up, and shifted to lap at the other side of Ritsuka's neck, kneading the lump with his tongue, and lips.

“You smell sweet, like something rich. Chocolate, but with something else. Your heat scent is similar to an Omega heat scent, but clearer, more pure.”

Ritsuka felt a sudden pang in his side, the sting of jealousy. It must have came through in his scent because Soubi pulled back to look at him critically. That wasn't like him, jealousy, or possessiveness has never suited him well, but the feeling wouldn't go away. It welled deep within his chest, just the thought, the image of Soubi taking an Omega, and knotting them made him bristle.

“Ritsuka,” Soubi said in a firm voice, drawing his attention. “I want to stake my claim to you, you know this.”

“I know!”

Soubi's expression softened, and he smiled gently. “It must have been because you smelled my rut pheromones. You are getting older, and still have your ears. Your hormones are going to be more difficult to deal with.”

Ritsuka worked the glands at his throat absentmindedly, massaging with his fingertips. “I want to mate you, Soubi. I'm just not ready yet. Losing your ears is supposed to be painful, and you'll be in rut. It just makes me nervous.”

“Ritsuka. You do know that I would go on suppressants when the time comes for me to take your ears? A pup is not built to take an Alpha's knot, and an Alpha in rut around you in heat could be very dangerous. I would hurt you for sure. I want to be clear-headed.”

“I never thought of that.” Ritsuka's face burned with embarrassment. Of course Soubi wouldn't allow himself to enter rut around him, but a part of him was disappointed. The realization came upon him that he _wanted_ to see Soubi in rut, to see him completely unhinged, and feel his knot buried deep inside him. His loose bottoms began to feel tight, and he shifted uncomfortably.

Soubi smelled Ritsuka's arousal, saw how his lover refused to meet his eyes. “Ritsuka? What's bothering you?”

Ritsuka shook his head. “I'm not sure. I feel weird.”

“Get some more rest.”

 

But Ritsuka wasn't okay. Something was seriously wrong, he had never experienced possessiveness to this degree before. Every time Soubi left the house to run an errand, or go to the gallery, Ritsuka had an overwhelming urge to scent him, and mark him as his. He resisted, telling himself he was silly, and buried himself in his homework.

He had warned his professors that his heat was coming, and had been excused from classes, but he still had work to catch up on. Yuiko was a smiling face in class as usual, a fact that set his mind at ease. It returned him to some semblance of normalcy. Maybe that was why he was feeling possessive of Soubi. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, and he was in need of something more...normal.

“Did you stay at Soubi's house last night?” Yuiko asked. “You smell quite strongly of him.”

After their class they had stopped for a bite to eat at a coffee shop on campus. Yayoi was on his way to pick up Yuiko, and a part of Ritsuka wished that he would hurry up. He wanted to talk with Yuiko some more, but he was feeling drained, and on edge.

“Yes, well, I'm...living with him,” Ritsuka said.

Yuiko's face lit up in a bright smile. “Really? That's wonderful! Are you going to accept his mate mark now?”

Ritsuka shrugged, and brought his coffee cup to his lips, blowing softly to cool the dark liquid. “I haven't had time to think about it. We didn't really make the choice to move in together...something happened at home, and that's how we ended up living together in the first place. I'm still getting used to it.”

“Oh my gosh. Are you okay? What happened? Is there anything I can do?”

“No, it'll be okay.”

A waft of air brushed too close to his tail, and he instinctively flicked it away to the other side of his body where he curled it across his lap. His ears twitched, and swivelled on top of his head, his instincts aware of the threat before he was conscious of it. When an unfamiliar hand stroked his tail, it made him shiver, but it was the opposite of the reaction he had when Soubi touched him. The coldness that worked its way up his spine was like ice being poured over his back – frigid, and offensive. He jerked away, his chair clattering to the floor, and drawing the gazes of students around them. Tail snapping from side-to-side, showing his agitation, Ritsuka looked around to find the owner of the offending touch, but no one faced him.

“Ritsuka? Are you okay?” Yuiko was still in her seat, gripping her coffee cup, and giving him a wide-eyed look.

Ritsuka righted his chair, and sat back down without so much as a nod to those who had paused to watch. After a moment, those who had stopped continued on with their day, and it was as though the play button was hit again.

“I'm alright,” Ritsuka said. “I just thought someone touched me is all. Did you see anything? Someone walking a little too closely behind me, or something?”

Yuiko shook her head, the pigtails she insisted on wearing even in college tumbling around her head.

Ritsuka sipped his coffee, but his ears flicked as though someone were tickling them with the tips of their fingers. His spine continued to crawl, making him squirm.

The uncomfortable feeling endured until Yayoi arrived to pick up Yuiko, and then beyond. It seemed to follow him home, nipping at his heels. He did his best to avoid brushing against people on the train, but it was the city, such a thing wasn't completely unavoidable. It felt as though everyone's eyes were on him, and they were burning his skin. He was losing it, something must be slipping.

By the time he arrived back at Soubi's apartment, he felt dirty again, and wanted a bath.

There had been times in the past when he was uneasy after a heat, but it was only a passing feeling, and never had it been quite like this before.

The sound of rustling fabric startled him more than it should have, and Kio sat up on the couch, rubbing sleep-filled eyes. His hair was mussed, and his glasses crooked. He looked as though he had been up all night.

“Oh, Ritsuka you're back.” Kio stifled a yawn that made tears bead in the corners of his eyes. He sniffed, and took his glasses off to rub at his eyes. “How was your day? What time is it?”

“Where's Soubi?” Ritsuka tried to keep the edge out of his voice, but he didn't succeed completely. Kio was too preoccupied with cleaning his glasses, squinting at the dirt, and rubbing them on his shirt to notice.

“Sou-chan? Oh, right. He's at the gallery taking care of some business. He said he'd be home late, and to eat without him.”

Ritsuka bristled. Something inside him didn't like that Kio knew the whereabouts of his boyfriend, and he didn't. He swallowed the feeling, and shoved it down to the pit of his stomach. Kio didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of his hormones.

The Beta glanced at his watch, and was suddenly in motion as though someone had cracked a whip at his back. He jumped up from the couch, hands flattening his hair. He took one step, then paused before taking another halting step, his brain frozen.

“Aw I'm going to late,” Kio said, pulling at the front of his shirt, and sticking his nose down the collar. “Do I have time for a shower? I should, damn it.”

Ritsuka didn't feel he had the energy to deal with the Beta's antics. As Kio rushed into the bathroom, Ritsuka adjusted his backpack on his shoulder, and made his way to Soubi's bedroom – their bedroom. Their scents were more combined now, and it set him at ease. Ritsuka sat on top of the dark covers of the bed, placing his backpack beside him. Before he dug into his homework, he couldn't resist pulling Soubi's pillow to his chest, and curling himself around it. The Alpha scent was spicy, and tickled his nose.

It was ridiculous, his behaviour. Was it all still attributed to catching a whiff of Soubi's rut pheromones, or was it something else? He had heard that as people with their ears age, they begin to behave in strange ways. Did Seimei go through the same thing when he was his age? Seimei had died. Already Ritsuka had outlived his brother. In future years, he wouldn't have anything except the memory of what Seimei would be like when he grew up. He would be preserved, forever seventeen.

Ritsuka had never asked about Seimei and Soubi. He preferred to avoid the subject, but why? Was it because it made him feel jealous? Did Soubi love him like he loved Seimei? Did Seimei suck Soubi's cock too, and moan while he swallowed his come? Seimei had died with his ears which meant that he had never been taken by Soubi, but what would Soubi be like? Ritsuka had no doubt that when Soubi took his ears, he would be kind, and gentle, but what about when he's in rut? How would he be then? Would he pin Ritsuka down, and drive into him with hard, deep thrusts? Would Ritsuka arch his back for his Alpha, and moan for him?

“Ritsuka. Ritsuka, wake up.” Yes, Soubi's voice would growl in his ear, but deeper, rougher, more husky.

“Soubi...Soubi please.”

A low laugh, and then pressure at the small of his back. A hand. Large, and soft, smoothing up the arch there. It made him shiver. A tongue licking the shell of his ear, and another quiet laugh.

“Ritsuka.” Warm breath on the side of his neck. “You're sleeping, wake up.”

When Ritsuka opened his eyes, he was on his stomach with Soubi's pillow clutched to his chest. Soubi leaned over him, a hand up his shirt, and resting on his back. He wore a sly smile, and in a moment his brain caught up, staining his cheeks a bright red. Ritsuka was hard, and had been rutting against the bed in his sleep.

Soubi had the right mind to move as Ritsuka jerked to knees, both hands covering his mouth. Ritsuka's eyes were wide, and Soubi watched the red spread all the way down his collar with amusement.

“It's alright,” Soubi said gently.

“No, no it's not! I've been like this ever since my heat,” Ritsuka struggled to keep his voice from shaking. “There's something wrong with me. I feel desperate, and agitated, and I don't like being apart from you. This has never happened before.”

Soubi lie down on his bed, cuddling his smaller lover against his chest. Ritsuka had worked himself up, and panted against his neck. His clothes were damp from sweat under Soubi's hands.

“It's okay,” Soubi soothed. “Your body is just craving a strong mate. After your other heats we were intimate almost right away, do you remember? This time, you have been insistent on avoiding me, and that is probably where your agitation is coming from. You would calm down entirely if you let me mark you, but for now, just relax.”

Soubi smelled so good, and Ritsuka nosed at his throat, against the bandages there. Even muffled by the material, Soubi's scent aided in slowing his frantic heartbeat. Soubi was right. Normally they were intimate after his heats because it helped to calm his instincts, which insisted that his heat attracted a mate for him. The agitation he felt was nothing out of the ordinary, and just the result of him not listening to his body's needs. The shock of having so much change, and not going back home must have affected him more than he thought, but one thing at a time. How long had it been since his heat ended? He counted back in his head. A few days, no wonder he was so pent up.

“That's it,” Soubi said, hands trailing down his sides, and feeling the tension leave his muscles.

Ritsuka licked at the underside of Soubi's jaw, eliciting a soft growl from the Alpha that made him shiver, and let a whine in response to Soubi's dominance.

“Take these off,” Ritsuka commanded, tapping at the bandages around Soubi's neck with a finger.

Soubi chuckled, amused at his young lover's brashness, and got to his feet. While he watched Soubi slowly unravel the bandages, Ritsuka settled back against the pillows of the bed, pulling his legs to his chest, hiding his arousal.

“Why didn't you tell me we hadn't been intimate since my heat?” Ritsuka asked.

“Because you know what you need best, Ritsuka,” Soubi replied, moving his long hair to the side so it didn't get caught in the bandages. “I haven't had a heat in many years. I have almost forgotten what they feel like.”

“But you've been in rut. What does it feel like...is it anything like a heat?...Who do you spend your ruts with?” Ritsuka had never asked about Soubi's ruts for the same reason he never asked about his heats. While Ritsuka spent his heats alone, he knew it was highly unlikely that Soubi would spend his rut alone. Such a fact was just normal, but at that moment, Ritsuka felt a possessiveness bubble in his stomach.

Soubi tilted his head to the side in thought. “It's similar to a heat in that I don't feel like myself, and usually only remember the happenings of my rut in pieces. You are correct in assuming I don't spend it alone, that would be dangerous. I'm with Kio as much as possible, but there's only so long I can go without an Omega.”

Ritsuka's brow furrowed as he tried to think back to his health classes growing up. “If you're with Kio, how do you knot without a heat scent?”

“Artificial heat scent. It's not the same, but we make due.” Soubi set the bandages down on top of the dresser, and moved to join his lover back on the bed, rubbing at his neck. The bandages were necessary, but uncomfortable wearing them everyday.

Soubi leaned back, sitting up against the headboard. He allowed Ritsuka to straddle him, and tilted his head as his smaller lover brushed his lips against his.

“Is that okay?” Soubi asked, his breath warm on Ritsuka's face. He smelled of cigarettes. “I can stop relying on Kio if you like. If it is easier for you, I can take an unknown Omega in future.”

That idea did not make Ritsuka feel better. If he had to choose Soubi being with Kio, or taking an Omega, he would much prefer the former.

“No, it's fine,” Ritsuka said. “I'd rather it be Kio. You trust him.”

Ritsuka mouthed at the underside of Soubi's throat, scraping sharp teeth against his skin. With a soft groan, Soubi tilted his head back, and gripped Ritsuka's hips, massaging gently.

“What about you?” Soubi said. “Do you remember much about your heats?”

Ritsuka's flush returned with a vengeance. “I...have an idea.”

“Do you? How about I remind you?”

\----------

Kio was panting by the time he reached the restaurant. He took a moment, doubled over to regain his breath, and wipe the sweat from his brow.

He knew he should have set an alarm. He knew he was going to nap too late, but he guessed there wasn't any sense in worrying about it now. He was here.

Running a hand through his hair one last time to flatten any fly-aways, Kio entered the establishment. It was quiet, but not unusual for a weeknight. _He_ was at the bar, sipping on a drink, waiting for him. He was young, younger than Kio by at least a few years, and wore a snappy suit that Kio planed on ripping off later. He was an Alpha - and even to Kio's Beta nose - smelled like it. He ignored the hopeful stares of others around him not quite unlike Soubi would. Kio grinned. This was going to be fun.

“Sorry I'm late,” Kio said, taking an empty seat next to him, and waving the bartender over. “I was up working all last night, and fell asleep.”

The Alpha hummed in response, but it was short. He reeked of irritation for having been kept waiting, and it only made Kio's heart skip that much faster. Living with an Alpha had its perks, and by now, Kio was something of an expert at dealing with them.

They made small talk. This Alpha had a stick up his ass, which would only make breaking him down that much more fun later. From talking to him, Kio guessed that he had a very traditional view of the world, probably honed from a powerful family. Those types put Alphas at the top of the food chain, then Omegas, and lastly, Betas who experienced the least nonhuman traits out of the three. Kio could bet that this Alpha had never been made to scream in bed, especially by a Beta, and that was all about to change.

It wasn't difficult to get the Alpha drunk, but Kio didn't want him to be completely wasted as that never resulted in a good time. When he felt he was good, and ready, Kio leaned in close, brushing his hand against the Alpha's thigh, and making sure to expose his throat. Instinctively, the Alpha leaned into him, nosing at the scent glands under his chin, and inhaling deeply. Kio relaxed, and focused on exuding what he hoped would be a calm, submissive scent. It was when the Alpha jerked away, clouded eyes showing surprising clarity, that Kio bit back a curse.

He smiled sweetly, and waited for a reply.

The Alpha looked as though something unpleasant were caught in his nose as he finally granted Kio his undivided attention, giving him a thorough once-over.

“You reek of Alpha,” the man growled. “An Alpha close to rut too. You aren't hiding a mate mark, are you?”

Kio raised his hands, palms exposed, and shook his head. “I'm not mated, and I don't belong to a pack.”

“Then why do you smell like that?”

Kio gave a noncommittal shrug, and wasn't surprised when the Alpha got his feet in a hurry. He mumbled what Kio assumed was some kind of excuse as he pulled his jacket over his shoulders. Kio forced his own heart down into his stomach. If he was going to get laid by an Alpha, panicking was not the way to do it.

“He said you wouldn't like it,” Kio said, giving the Alpha a side-glance. “My roommate is an Alpha with his own boyfriend. He warned me that if I was going out with an Alpha tonight that you wouldn't like my scent.”

The Alpha in front of him, and Soubi held several crucial differences, with one being that Soubi wouldn't cave so easily with a jab to the ego.

The Alpha froze for a moment, and Kio could see the cogs working in his brain. He wasn't as stupid as Kio had initially thought as he left money on the bar, and headed for the door without another word.

 _Lord help me,_ Kio prayed, dumping his own money, and chasing after the Alpha.

The Alpha had made it outside before him, and by the time Kio followed, he was gone. He barely had the time to utter a curse before he was slammed up against the wall of the restaurant. The Alpha was larger than him, stockier, and caged him in with his arms. That nose was at his throat again, scenting him, and licking the skin even as Kio felt a cool hand slide up his shirt. The tongue that swiped over his glands made him give a soft, keening moan that turned into a yelp as the Alpha bit down on the skin. The pain was sharp, and instantly radiated over his skin, making him arch. Kio could feel his chest rise and fall as he began to pant from the pain. The Alpha's mouth was large, engulfing the side of his neck, and sucking the skin until it bruised, marking Kio as his. His jeans were uncomfortably tight, making him squirm against the Alpha as he ached to find some relief. When a hand palmed him through the rough denim, he couldn't help, but cry out.

“Want to get out of here?” the Alpha growled against his skin.

“What about my scent?” Kio's voice was more breathless than he would have preferred.

“I guess I'll have to show your Alpha who you belong to.”

“Oh, yes please.”

 

Kio hissed as he sat up. His entire body ached, and he slowly rolled his shoulders. The bed moved beside him as the Alpha stirred, and a hand smoothed over his back.

“Are you alright?” the Alpha asked.

Kio nodded. “Just a little sore.”

There was more rustling as the Alpha sat up. Kio felt him warm against his back, and lips brushed against his shoulder.

They had fucked in a hotel that was close to the restaurant, chosen and paid for by the Alpha. It was fairly lavish, or had been before their antics had messed it up. Even in the darkness, Kio could see broken glass littering the floor from the various breakables that had been knocked off tables, and dressers.

“I should go,” Kio said.

The Alpha took Kio's chin in hand, and tilted his head to the side so he could stare into his eyes for a long moment. “Are you sure you're okay?” the Alpha asked.

Kio nodded again, and offered a smile.

He was careful as he picked his way across the room, retrieving his discarded clothing from the floor, and avoiding the glass. The Alpha settled back into the pillows, stretched out, and making no move to hide his nakedness, but he wouldn't stop staring at Kio as though he were trying to peer into his soul. It was a little unnerving.

Kio stood in front of a full-length mirror against the wall, and ran his hands through his hair. Even in the darkness with only the lights from the city he could see clearly the marks made from the Alpha's teeth. His neck was marred with hickeys, and no amount of adjusting the collar of his shirt would hide them.

“Hey,” the Alpha said from the bed, but his voice was firm, a command that made even Kio shiver. “You tell your Alpha to be good to you, you hear?”

Kio paused with his hand on the doorknob, and looked back to the bed. The Alpha hadn't moved, and his body language was relaxed, and dominant. It was in his eyes that Kio spotted it. Concern. This Alpha was worried about him, an Alpha he hardly even knew.

A smile tugged at Kio's lips for real this time, and he couldn't resist picking his way back across the room to crawl across the bed. He gave the Alpha an appreciative peck, and a nuzzle.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Whatever it is, you don't have to go,” the Alpha said. “I can smell the indecision on you.”

“It's okay,” Kio purred. He knew he couldn't exude the same calming scent an Omega could, but it didn't stop him from trying. “As you said, he's a few days away from his rut, and we have a pup living with us now. They need me.”

The look of concern in the Alpha's eyes turned into confusion. “A few days? Do you help him through his ruts? Because he's much closer than you think.”

“What?”

The Alpha yanked him down so their chests were flush, and exposed his throat by tugging at his hair. He inhaled Kio's scent deeply before releasing him with a shake of his head.

“I can't say for sure anymore,” the Alpha said. “You're covered so thickly in my scent now, but when I first smelled you, the rut scent was strong. You should hurry home.”

The vibrations of Kio's phone in his pocket made his blood run cold.

 

He wasn't that far away from home. Kio ran as fast as his legs would carry him, until his lungs burned as he listened to Ritsuka's voice in his ear. It was laced with panic as Ritsuka struggled to stay calm on the other end of the line. He could hear Soubi in the background, groaning and growling, and Kio couldn't help, but curse. Soubi must have been hiding it for a while if he was already at that stage. What an idiot.

He was still on the phone with Ritsuka by the time he burst through the front door of the apartment, closing the door quickly behind him. An Alpha's rut scent wasn't as strong as a heat scent, but that didn't mean that curious Omegas wouldn't come sniffing around.

Ritsuka stood in the middle of the apartment, clutching at his phone, face pale.

“Are you hurt?” Kio asked, unintentionally man-handling Ritsuka as he inspected him for any signs of bleeding, or torn clothing.

Ritsuka shook his head, seemingly unable to speak.

Kio deliberately softened his expression, and stroked the pup's cheek while he spoke in a quiet, gentle voice. “It's okay, you did nothing wrong. Do you have someplace you can go?”

Ritsuka nodded.

“Good. Pack a bag, quickly. Take a phone charger, and I'll call you as soon as he comes out of it. Where is he?”

Ritsuka's voice cracked, and he cleared his throat, trying again. “H-he went into your room, and locked the door.”

“That's good. That means he had enough sanity to get himself away from your scent. How are you feeling? His rut scent shouldn't have the same effect on you as it would on an Omega.”

“I'm fine just...I don't want him around an Omega. I really don't want to leave him.”

Kio could see the tension in Ritsuka's body, a concern for his potential future mate, but there was nothing the Beta could do for him.

“I'm going to try,” Kio said. “But you know just as well as I do that if I can't handle him, I'll have to bring an Omega in, and I need you to be okay with that, okay?”

After a moment, Ritsuka gave a small, hesitant nod, and Kio smiled. Even with his strong instincts, Ritsuka wasn't stupid.

“Now get going.”

Kio waited until Ritsuka had packed his backpack full of clothes, and left with a small wave before he stood outside his bedroom door. The apartment was eerily quiet. If he didn't know any better, he wouldn't have thought that there was an Alpha in rut just on the other side of the thin piece of wood. He breathed deep, and did a quick inventory of himself. His ass was a little sore, and open, still loose from the fucking from the other Alpha. That would greatly reduce prep time, and make it easier on Soubi, but could he handle Soubi alone? He rolled his shoulders, which were also stiff. The muscles along his back held a dull ache from his straining. He definitely wasn't in top shape for what he was about to do. _I'm sorry, Ritsuka_ , he apologized internally. _I may not be able to honour your request._

“Sou-chan?” Kio called, trying the knob, and finding it locked. “It's me. Ritsuka is gone. Open the door, please?”

There was some shuffling from inside before the door was slowly opened. Soubi had already removed his shirt, chest bare, and the loose pants he wore already sported a definite bulge.

“Sou-chan,” Kio scolded as gently as he could. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“I didn't know.”

“You mean, you couldn't feel it coming? At your age?” Kio rubbed the back of his neck, fighting to keep frustration from welling inside his chest. “You need to mate him.”

 


	6. Used

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really happy with the smut in this chapter. I wasn't for a while, but - from a writer's point of view anyway - I felt that I had paid a lot of attention to detail, and conveyed the feelings of the characters well. Enjoy!

The tip of Ritsuka's tail twitched back, and fourth, the only physical symptom of his agitation. There was no way he could focus on schoolwork, or anything else for that matter, so he settled for staring unseeing at the city from the balcony of Yuiko, and Yayoi's apartment. In the small room behind him, there were still boxes piled all over the place, and Ritsuka made a mental note to help the two of them finish unpacking later. It was the least he could do for allowing him to stay on such short notice. A freshly mated couple didn't need a pup hanging around.

“Ritsuka, dinner is ready if you would like to come have a little bit to eat,” Yuiko said, but her voice was low, cautious.

Ritsuka nodded, and tried to keep his voice level. “Thank you, Yuiko.”

There was silence for a moment, hesitation before a rustling of fabric, and Yuiko appeared beside him.

“Is there anything you need?” she asked, brushing her arm against his in a small show of affection.

“No, thank you, and thank you for letting me stay. I'm sorry to impose on you two like this.”

Yuiko smiled. It was warm, soft, and gentle. “You're not. I'm just glad you're safe.”

Ritsuka shook himself. “Let's get something to eat.”

\----------

Kio ushered Soubi back into his room, wincing as the Alpha's foot knocked aside some clothes piled on the floor. He really should keep his space more tidy.

Soubi settled back on top of Kio's bed, and drew a long, shaky breath. With Ritsuka gone, the Alpha would have an easier time controlling himself, but it would only get worse as his rut wore on. An Alpha rut didn't last as long as a heat, but an Alpha had the potential to become violent, and rough.

“You reek,” Soubi mumbled, his arm flung over his eyes.

Kio closed the door, and picked his way across the room. He moved with purpose, but was careful not to rush. With a riled up Alpha right in front of him, it was important to stay calm. He dug around in his dresser drawer to come up with a small vial of clear liquid.

“Deal with it,” Kio said, holding the vial up in one hand. “Do you need to knot right away?”

Soubi shook his head. “Let's wait a little while. Did he hurt you? You smell hurt.”

Kio crawled on top of the mattress, and kneeled beside Soubi, placing the vial carefully to the side. As he got closer, he watched Soubi's hand clench around the blankets below him, and the Alpha's mouth dropped open as he began to pant. Soubi's cock visibly twitched inside his sweatpants as he caught a whiff of Kio's scent. He was no Omega, but right now the other's body was aching to mate, and breed. Kio was careful to control his own desire as he sat. While he wasn't affected by Soubi's rut pheromones as much as an Omega would be, just like Ritsuka in heat, he wasn't completely unaffected either.

“He didn't hurt me,” Kio said in a gentle voice.

A low growl ripped itself from Soubi's throat as he rolled his hips, aching for some relief. As much as Kio wanted to trust his friend, he didn't think he would be able to last much longer without knotting, but he needed to prep himself first. He wasn't built to take an Alpha's knot, and it was a painful thing, even on good days, days when his hole wasn't already filled with another Alpha's come.

“I have to go prep,” Kio said carefully, allowing what was being left unsaid to fill the space between them. It meant that Kio didn't think Soubi could last much longer, but to the Alpha's brain jacked on hormones, it also meant that while Soubi tossed, and growled on the bed, Kio would be not far away, and vulnerable.

Soubi gave a curt nod, and Kio had to pause to grab his lube from the bedside drawer before he made his way into the bathroom. Upon stripping, and feeling a wetness drip down the back of his thighs, Kio opted for a quick shower.

The water pelting his shoulders helped soothe his already aching muscles. Kio made sure to clean himself out good, watching the milky white blend in with the water, and circle the drain. As he scrubbed his body, he could feel some of the tension easing out of him, and he stretched to help himself along. The more relaxed he was, the better.

His thoughts drifted back to the Alpha he had left at the hotel, and what he had said. The Alpha had smelled his inner push, and pull so easily. If a stranger could do that, it shouldn't be a problem for Soubi. Kio hoped that the rut would dull Soubi's senses enough that he wouldn't care to ask any more about it. Right now, all he wanted to do was focus on Soubi, and the next day, or so. Everything else could come later.

An Alpha's rut was slightly different from an Omega, or pup heat. The pheromones weren't as strong, eliminating the need for complete isolation. Just like a heat smell could send an Alpha into rut, an Alpha's rut pheromones could send an Omega into heat, but they had to be close, usually within the same room. It was the Alpha's tendency towards aggression, and need to dominate that made an Alpha rut so different, and dangerous from a heat. Soubi was experienced, having been through many ruts, and he did his best to control himself, but that didn't mean that Kio didn't have a part to play.

As he stepped from the shower, steam filling the room, and clouding the mirror, Kio tried to make sure his emotions were in check. Not only was Soubi's rut worse this time, but something was off in Kio too. He wasn't himself, but he didn't have time to sort through his feelings, only lock them away somewhere inside. For now at least.

Kio braced an arm on the counter, and reached slick fingers around himself. He ignored his own image in the bathroom mirror, and the marks dotting his skin. The bruises that had been from both teeth, and fingers; scraping across his skin, threatening to break through, or from digits pressing into his hips, holding him still as he cried out. He shook himself.

He was still so loose, but his hole was sensitive, twitching as his finger brushed his entrance, and making him hiss at the slight sting. Kio rubbed small circles, soothing the abused skin before pushing in, starting with two fingers. He squirmed on his fingers, and tried to squash the tingle of anxiety welling in his stomach. If he was this sensitive now, how was he ever going to take a knot?

Soubi cried out from the next room, no doubt driven mad by the thought that a potential mate was so close by. Kio hushed him in his mind, but knew the best thing for the Alpha right now was continue on. He couldn't hurry, or the chance of seriously hurting himself increased drastically. At three fingers he could barely feel the stretch, but he scissored his fingers anyway.

When he was finished he sucked in a deep, steady breath, holding for a brief moment before exhaling. Despite himself, his heart started to race, and felt a cold chill as though someone were trickling freezing water down his back.

Back in his bedroom, Soubi had flipped over onto his stomach, head buried in the pillow, and fingers tensing, struggling not to rip apart the material. His hips stuttered, no longer able to stop the hesitant, mindless rutting. It was worse this time.

Kio was naked, having not bothered to put his clothes back on. He picked up the vial on the nightstand, and placed his other hand on Soubi's bare shoulder. He could feel the tension beneath his friend's skin, powerful muscles pulled taut, and a thin sheen of sweat making him feel cold, as though he were sick with fever.

“Are you ready?” Soubi's voice came out as a rough growl, muffled by the pillow.

“Are you?” Kio tried to keep the lilt in his voice, but even he could hear the waver.

If Soubi had any more doubts, he didn't show it as he grabbed onto Kio's wrist, and yanked him down on top of the bed.

Soubi was hardly the stereotypical Alpha. He prided himself on his control, and rarely showed displays of dominance, but all that changed during his ruts. As he panted, and ground down on Kio, pupils blown wide with desire, there was no doubt to what he was. A strong hand curled in his hair, and yanked, exposing the underside of his throat. Instantly Soubi licked at the skin, nipping, which turned rougher at Kio's near-inaudible whimper.

“Easy,” Kio whispered, sliding his hand down the front of Soubi's loose pants to grasp his painfully erect cock. On the first downward stroke, his hand bumped against the beginnings of a knot trying to form at the base. “Without the heat scent first, fuck me.”

A growl wretched itself from Soubi's throat as he forced Kio's head to the side to mindlessly mouth at the vulnerable skin. Kio couldn't help, but moan at Soubi's dominance, panting at the dull pain his teeth caused. It was all he could do to keep his hand moving on Soubi's cock, slicked by the pre-cum dripping from the head.

“Kio,” Soubi panted against his skin, thrusting back against his hand. “I need to...god. Kio.”

Soubi came with a deep shudder, and growled in frustration against Kio's neck as his body tried to knot, and failed. The amount of come that he expelled was pitiful, not much more than a few drops squeezed from him. He didn't soften in Kio's hand, but he did turn sensitive, shying away from Kio's touch as his body craved more. Kio helped Soubi kick off his pants, and held firm with a small growl of his own when Soubi tried to flip him over.

“It's not time for that,” Kio said, voice firm. “I need you to go slow, gentle, and you won't if I'm presenting for you.”

Some of the haze clouding Soubi's eyes cleared, and he nodded meekly. Even more than his instincts, and his primal urge to knot, Soubi hated hurting Kio. There was nothing forcing Kio to stay either, and the Alpha knew it. Nothing, but their own friendship that made Kio help him through his ruts every time. He bowed his head ever-so-slightly, even though Kio could see it took everything he had, fighting every instinct to dominate, and claim.

Soubi's cock was large compared to a Beta, but as an Alpha Kio supposed he was fairly average. He was thick, and slightly swollen at the base, but Kio knew his knot would refuse to swell any more without a heat scent. Kio thought he looked fucking beautiful when he was like this; hard, and needy, long hair spilling all the way down his waist, and chest heaving as he tried not to pant. The thought blindsided him, and he tried to swallow it before it settled into a lump in his throat.

He spread his legs, and couldn't stop the faintest of flushes from staining his features. Kio wasn't one to be embarrassed in the bedroom easily, never being afraid of using sweet smiles to get what he wanted. It was something in the way Soubi looked at him, with intense focus, almost as though he were staring at a work of art than at Kio. Kio knew it was his rut, imaging claiming, thrusting, knotting into a slick hole, but he still felt exposed. It was the only time Kio was ever self-conscious of his Beta body.

Soubi was stroking himself, coating himself liberally with the lube before he lined himself up with Kio's entrance, knowing he would get to knot soon the only thing keeping him sane.

Kio sucked in a deep breath as Soubi pushed in, filling him to the brim slowly. Soubi went as slow as could be expected, but applied steady pressure, refusing to pull out of Kio even a little until he was seated fully inside. Panting he leaned over Kio, straining, hips shaking. His eyes held a silent plea, and after a moment, Kio nodded. The first thrust was deep, making Kio groan, and Soubi responded with his own low growl, finally able to claim him. Soubi thrust with purpose as he instinctively, unconsciously sought out to bury himself as deep into his bitch as he could. The sensation made Kio gasp, and moan. He had taken cocks bigger than Soubi before, but none of the Alpha's he let fuck him ever made him gasp like Soubi did.

“Kio,” Soubi said, a desperate edge to his voice. It was a plea.

“It's alright,” Kio moaned, arching his back to take Soubi deeper, forcing himself open on Soubi's cock. “Stretch me out more first.”

Almost before the words finished leaving his mouth, a long, slick finger slid into him. It pressed against his walls, stretching the rim of his asshole alongside Soubi's cock. Kio squirmed, clutching at Soubi's shoulders to ground him against the impossibly wide stretch. As the heat moved around his cock, Soubi shoved into Kio a few more times, making his friend mewl.

Soubi was panting, the edges of his vision wavering. Oh, god, he didn't know how much longer he would be able to hold back. Soubi tried to control it, to push back the part of him that wanted to flip Kio onto his stomach, and knot him deep. He could feel anxiety, and restlessness well inside him. Kio felt so amazing around his dick, but there was no heat scent, and it was causing his heart to flutter.

The Beta spread out below him whined as Soubi added another finger. The sound sent a shudder down his spine. It was the sound of pleasure, and most of all, of submission. Even in his rut-addled state, he saw Kio clearly. Soubi never pretended that his best friend was anything he wasn't; he wasn't an Omega, didn't have slick, or that sweet heat scent, but that didn't change the fact that Kio was so incredibly hot underneath him.

When he saw Kio groping at the nightstand, reaching for the small vial, Soubi's cock twitched. That scent would finally allow his knot to swell, and bring some relief to the near violent urge to claim. When Kio handed him the vial, the shake in his hands brought Soubi back, and for a moment, felt the haze of his rut clear.

“Kio?” Soubi leaned closer to him, unconsciously brushing his nose against the side of Kio's throat, picking up the scent there. Behind the arousal it was clear as day, a blatant cloud of anxiety that permeated the entire room, going unnoticed under Soubi's rut pheromones. Kio was hurt, wounded badly, but without the scent of blood, Soubi knew it was something inside that was broken.

“Kio, we don't have to do this,” Soubi said, feeling his hand clench around the blankets as his body protested. He needed to knot, and he needed to knot now. “We can call an Omega in.”

Kio shook his head as he pushed the vial against Soubi's chest. He couldn't see, having squeezed his eyes closed against a flood of wetness a felt gathering there. Despite his protesting body, he wanted it, wanted to feel Soubi's knot because it was the one thing Soubi couldn't do with Ritsuka.

The instincts that were screaming at Soubi to knot wouldn't let him hold out anymore, and he grabbed the vial with a soft noise of frustration. He was frustrated at himself for being unable to meet his friend's needs, but his cock, hard, and throbbing deep in Kio's ass didn't give a shit. He helped Kio roll over, and groaned in approval as Kio pressed his shoulders into the mattress, raising his ass in the air. His hole was gaping, stretched wide enough to accommodate Soubi with as little pain as possible. Soubi slicked himself liberally with the lube, his cock dripping a steady stream of precome, more than a Beta would, an Alpha trait. He leaned over Kio, pushing the hair off the back of his neck so he could pour the heat scent. His nose wrinkled at the smell of an unfamiliar Omega, and the slight bitter edge around the scent as it wasn't fresh. Even so, he felt something inside of him start to snap. Soubi touched Kio's shoulder in warning before he sank back into the Beta's ass.

Soubi leaned over Kio, pressing his chest to the Beta's back, and buried his nose at Kio's nape where he had poured the heat scent. His pupils dilated, and the thing inside him completely broke. Soubi thrust with unadulterated vigour, guided purely by instinct as he felt his knot finally began to swell.

Kio cried out as he felt Soubi's knot hook against the rim of his asshole, each thrust driving it back inside. Soubi was gone; his movements rough, and a string of soft growls rumbling in his chest. At that moment he was nothing but instinct.

Kio dropped his head, and tried to relax, letting go of the tension he held in his shoulders. Soubi wouldn't let him fall, holding him still against powerful thrusts that grew increasingly more erratic. Kio tried not to pant, needed to relax, but each time Soubi's knot forced its way inside him, there was a sharp sting. He was already so used.

“Sou-chan,” Kio whimpered. “Come on, knot me. Please.”

Soubi groaned with the strain as he shoved in one last time, his knot buried deep, but it hadn't swollen to its full size yet, Kio could still feel its size increasing with each beat of Soubi's pulse. He felt Soubi shake above him, and let out a soft whine as his instincts drove him to keep thrusting hard. He rocked, pushing himself deeper into Kio, but didn't remove his knot. Finally, just when Kio thought he couldn't take anymore of the impossibly wide stretch, Soubi swore, and shuddered, pulsing as he began to fill Kio.

Both of them took a moment, locked together, and panting as they recovered. Kio had bedded many Alphas, but had only ever been knotted by Soubi in rut. It was always such a a foreign feeling to have Soubi's thick knot pressed up against his prostrate as he was slowly filled with wave after wave of Alpha come.

When Soubi rolled them both onto their sides, and pressed up close to him with a tenderness that was so different than what he exhibited only moments ago, Kio knew he was back. With the relief of his first knotting, the Alpha sniffed at him, no doubt smelling his pain, and distress.

“Ah, fuck,” Soubi groaned, rolling his hips as a sudden wave of pleasure assaulted him. When it passed, Soubi rubbed up Kio's arms. “I can smell the pain on you,” Soubi said. “After this knot, we're going to a hotel. I can't make you take my knot again.”

“But, Ritsuka asked me not to take you to an Omega.”

Soubi shook his head, and planted a kiss on Kio's shoulder. “Ritsuka will understand.”

\----------

Ritsuka didn't understand.

The pup couldn't stop himself from shaking, fist balling as he held the phone to his ear. Somewhere deep inside him, it made sense. He had seen this coming, but the blinding jealousy he felt overrode everything else. Kio was taking Soubi to an Omega hotel to ride out the rest of his rut.

“His rut is worse this time, Ritsuka,” Kio was saying. “His appetite is strong, and my body isn't built to take his knots in the first place. It should be over by morning, and we can go from there.”

Despite himself, Ritsuka blamed Kio. The Beta had promised not to take him to an Omega.

“I will make sure he stays with a male,” Kio continued. “That way he won't impregnate anyone.”

Ritsuka was losing his ability to be civil. He wanted to cry out, and scream. Everything inside him ached to run to Soubi, and...what? If Kio wasn't built to handle Soubi's ruts, then Ritsuka definitely wasn't in a position to help him.

Exhaling the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, Ritsuka gave Kio a curt thank you, and hung up without asking which hotel Soubi would be staying at.

“Ritsuka?” Yuiko's voice drew his attention to the Beta pair sitting together on the living room floor. Ritsuka felt a pang in his chest. His childish actions were making them worry, and they had already done so much for him.

“Everything is okay. They're taking Soubi to an Omega hotel.” Ritsuka tried to keep the crack out of his voice, but their pitying looks told him that he wasn't successful. “I feel so agitated this time around. He's been through ruts before, and been to Omega hotels before. I feel so jealous.”

“Ritsuka,” Yayoi said, pausing as he chose his words carefully. “Even if you don't want to take his mate mark, you need to at least allow him to take your ears. Doing even one of those two things will calm your instincts dramatically, especially since you are now living with him. If you keep going as you are now, it won't be long before you enter into heat, and Soubi takes you by force. Losing your ears will allow your body to present, but will eliminate the danger of you getting harmed during your heat. Even if you present as an Omega, your body will be built to handle his ruts.”

The other male's words irked him, rubbed him the wrong way, but he knew Yayoi was right. With a sigh, Ritsuka turned, and headed for the door.

“Ritsuka? Where are you going?” Yuiko's voice was laced with panic, and Ritsuka paused, hand on the doorknob.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, and set it on the low table in front of them.

“There,” he said. “I don't know where Soubi is, and without this, I won't be able to find out either. I can't sit still, I'm going for a walk.”

\----------

By the time the cab had stopped outside of the building, Soubi was restless, and Kio made sure to grab hold of the back of his jacket to keep him from wandering away in search of an Omega in heat.

Unlike an Omega, or pup in heat, if an Alpha is caught outside in rut, they will be put down. It was their violent nature that made such actions necessary.

The hotel wasn't a seedy place, but it wasn't ritzy either. It was plain, clean. Inside was a reception desk, and a waiting area. As soon as Soubi pushed through the door, the pupils of the Beta behind the desk widened, catching a whiff of the Alpha's rut pheromones. Kio grabbed hold of Soubi's arm, and pulled him forward, meeting some resistance as Soubi instinctively wanted to go right for the stairs. Upstairs where the Alpha knew were rooms filled with ready Omegas.

“We have an emergency,” Kio said, dragging Soubi up to the desk. “We need one room, and only a male, please.”

To the Beta's credit, he kept his composure on the other side of the counter, tapping the keys on his computer with practised hands. The receptionist picked up the phone, spoke a few short, quiet words, and hung up. A moment later, large Beta security guards came into the lobby, and approached Soubi. Kio elbowed him between the ribs as Soubi tried to growl at the incoming, and potentially threatening Betas. After a moment of reassurance, Soubi and the Beta guards headed upstairs where Kio wasn't allowed. He nodded at the receptionist in thanks, and strode out the door.

Ordinarily, using an Omega hotel cost money, and lots of it. The state makes an exception for Alphas in rut, which Kio, and his ass was thankful for. He could still feel Soubi's come dripping from his ass to stain the bottom of his pants, the wetness hidden by a long shirt.

Kio stepped back outside the hotel, and hesitated for a moment. He knew what he had to do, and the responsibilities weighed heavily on him, but he was exhausted too. It was the middle of the night with dawn just around the corner. He pulled his phone from his pocket to check the battery life. It was charged at least enough to last half a day more. Kio needed a bath, stinging of sex, come, and rut pheromones, but he decided that he needed a drink more, and strode down the street in search of a bar.

\----------

Ritsuka wandered the streets, being mindful to avoid the gazes of any strangers he passed. In most cases, having ears equated being a child, which made wandering around in the middle of the night potentially dangerous. Still, he should have a bit of Soubi's rut pheromones on him, and that should help a bit.

He walked aimlessly with no particular destination, but the cool air helped to clear his head, and calm his anxiety.

There was a sudden commotion on the sidewalk in front of him, a loud cheering that made Ritsuka slow to a stop, wary of the strangers. An individual came out of a building with a small entourage in tow. They were all clearly drunk, or rowdy and riled up at the very least. Ritsuka was about to cross the street to avoid the strangers when he caught a scent that was glaringly familiar, Soubi. Eyes narrowing, he peered at the group, and caught Kio in the very centre, laughing at something someone said to him.

The emotions that Ritsuka had worked so hard to keep in check began to boil within him. What was Kio doing here? He was supposed to be with Soubi? What was happening to his boyfriend? Why wasn't his best friend with him?

With any trepidation he had towards the strangers gone, Ritsuka marched up to the crowd, and took a breath.

“You reek of Alpha,” Ritsuka said, the phrase coming out somewhat unintentionally obnoxious. It made the small crowd quiet, and turn on the newcomer.

They were all Betas, and upon perceiving Ritsuka, one of them stepped forward, trying to intimidate him. The strange Beta opened his mouth to say something, but Kio yanked him back by the arm with a shake of his head.

“It's okay,” Kio said to the group with a light smile. “I know this kid. You guys go on home now, I'll catch up with you later.”

“What are you doing wandering around in the middle of the night?” Kio asked once the crowd started to make its way down the street. The exasperated tone wasn't lost on Ritsuka, but the part of him that absolutely furious didn't care.

“I should be the one asking you that,” Ritsuka growled.

Kio looked absolutely exhausted. His hair stuck out at odd angles, and there were dark circles under his eyes. The Beta rubbed his face, and let out a groan.

“Come on,” Kio sighed. “Let's find a diner that's open. I'm starving. Soubi is fine, I'll explain what's happening.”

 


	7. White

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I've said this countless times, but yes, this series does have an ending. I also posted on my tumblr a while back, but for all future chapters in this series, please ensure to read the notes carefully. There will be a chapter going up (it's not this chapter) that will be very graphic, and violent. Not quite non-con, but dubious consent for sure. I'll be sure to post an extensive warning when that fic actually happens so in order to avoid being triggered, or at least to be aware of the trigger, read all future notes! :)

 

The Omega below him writhed, and cried out, which made a growl bubble at the back of Soubi's throat. He pinned the smaller boy's shoulders to the bed while he slammed deep into his ass. He could already feel the blood pooling at the base of his cock as the Omega's heat smell washed over him.

The Omega clawed at the bedding as the beginnings of Soubi's knot tugged at his pink, swollen rim with each lunge. The smaller tried to gather his arms under him, - perhaps to get a better angle - but Soubi snarled in his ear, and gave a particularly hard thrust. In the presence of an experienced Omega, Soubi had allowed his base instincts to take over. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered the tiny whimper of submission from the Omega in response to his dominance, and he felt the insurmountable pleasure in return.

The Omega stilled once again, his mouth opening wide to let loose the most delectable sounds to Soubi's ears. The Alpha in him crooned, and he picked up his pace, the slap of skin against skin echoing in his ears. Instinct drove him to make the coupling as loud as possible, panting at the idea of the entire hotel hearing the Omega's cries.

His knot was swelling rapidly now, and he pressed tight against the Omega's back, pulling his head to the side to expose his throat, the source of that wonderfully sweet smell. Soubi inhaled, and felt his pupils dilate, eyes blackening, and his cock twitched. He focused on the smell, and his growing knot. The Omega mewled, the sound holding an edge of pain as Soubi's knot stretched him so wide. The Alpha mouthed at the back on his neck to draw more of the heat scent as he humped into the Omega. When Soubi finally tried to pull back for another lunge, his knot caught, and drew twin cries from both of them. Pinning the Omega to the bed, Soubi rolled his hips, grinding deep as he felt the white haze of orgasm begin to grip him.

When his vision began to clear, the coursing pleasure had subsided enough for him to register that someone was speaking.

“\- to roll over,” the Omega growled, and Soubi was too lost in his own pleasure to argue.

Soubi did, slowly, and gently so as to not tug on his knot that was buried deep, locking them together. When he was on his back with the Omega on top of him, the kid twisted, and it tore a sharp cry from Soubi's lips as his knot was tugged harshly. If the movement caused him this much discomfort, he couldn't imagine how the Omega felt, but he didn't seem bothered. He didn't pull off, but turned until he faced Soubi. Then, he began to move his hips, grinding down on Soubi's knot, and it made the instincts in him purr as he was milked with each movement. The Omega was still hard and leaking, and Soubi wrapped his hand around his length, and pumped even as his own hips ground back up. An immense satisfaction welled in his chest as the Omega gave a small gasp, his head tilting back to expose the underside of his throat. It took only a few moments before the Omega came on his chest with a shuddering sigh, tightening even more around Soubi, and making him groan.

As the Omega curled on top of him, both of them covered in a mess of fluids, Soubi distantly registered a fading in the back of his mind. This knotting was different because there was not the insistent need growing in his gut. As their heated bodies cooled, and Soubi filled the Omega to near-bursting - with the heat scent slowly fading - Soubi knew his rut was over.

The Omega hummed contentedly in his arms. “Fuck, that was amazing. How is an Alpha like you unmated?”

Soubi gave an experimental tug at his knot, but it held fast, and made the Omega on top of him give a low hiss. He was anxious to get back to Ritsuka, but his biology said otherwise. He could do nothing, but settle in for a while.

“I have someone,” Soubi said. “We're just not mated.”

“Is he an Omega?”

“How did you know he is a 'he'?”

The Omega shrugged. “Lucky guess?”

“We don't know yet. He still has his ears.”

Soubi needed a smoke. He eyed his jacket that had been tossed carelessly onto the floor when he had first entered the room. The sight of a ready Omega had driven him out of his mind, and as soon as he caught a whiff of his heat scent in response to his rut pheromones, he couldn't help but mount him right away. Such actions were usually considered rude, and Soubi was glad this Omega hadn't seemed to mind.

“He must be going crazy,” the Omega said. “Unless he's a child, and you're just a pervert.”

“He's in university,” Soubi said. “And I think he's beginning to feel the effects of continuing to have his ears. We live together now, and I think that's even more difficult for him.”

“But when you first came in here, you reeked of Beta. What's going on there?”

Soubi chuckled. “He's my roommate. He helps me through my ruts sometimes.”

“Wow.” The Omega sat up, and lifted his hips very slightly. Soubi felt his knot budge. “That's fucking nice of him. You better not take him for granted.” 

Slowly, the two of them worked Soubi's knot loose, and the Omega stepped off the bed, stretching his cramped legs. Soubi felt an immense satisfaction at seeing the slight bulge in the others' stomach, even as he gave a wave, and said something about having first dibs on the shower.

Soubi didn't dress himself, covered in all kinds of fluids, he didn't dare. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and retrieved the pack of smokes from his jacket as he heard the sound of the shower starting. He absently gave his cock a few strokes to get the blood flowing again, and help the remainder of his knot deflate. He opened the window, and held a cigarette between his lips as he lit it. He allowed himself a long moment of thoughtless bliss before beginning to account for the things that needed to be done that day.

He was concerned for Ritsuka, and Kio too. They were both left in the lurch as soon as his rut hit. Memory of Kio's scent made him make a displeased face. There had been something off about him, but he hadn't been able to give much thought to it in rut. It wasn't his imagination, was it? Surely he hadn't mistaken a scent that strong.

“Showers' free,” the Omega said, emerging from the bathroom with one towel wrapped around his waist, and another dabbing at his still-dripping hair.

Soubi nodded, and took the last drag on his cigarette before tapping it out on the edge of the sill. The sight of the Omega, clean, and with the bulge in his stomach gone, made his cock twitch, instinct making him want to keep him full, and breed him, even though male Omegas were sterile in every sense of the word. The look on his face wasn't lost to the Omega, and a gave a charming smile.

“You need to go one more round?” he asked.

Soubi shook his head. He could knot him one last time, but he wasn't desperate for it.

“Alright. I'll be gone by the time you get out,” the Omega said. “Need to go home, and get a proper night's sleep. I trust you'll be fine on your own?”

“Yes, thank you. I'm sorry, I didn't get your name.”

The Omega's smile cracked into a wide grin as he reached for a pair of pants that had been folded, and set carefully into the dresser. “I prefer to keep it that way. No offence, you're gorgeous, and I would do you again, but I like to keep my encounters anonymous. I don't take any clients who want any of my personal information, cleaner that way.”

Soubi nodded, and thanked the Omega again before locking himself in the bathroom.

He rushed through his shower, while normally in the comfort of his own home, he preferred to take his time, but he didn't have that luxury. He scrubbed his skin until it had reddened, and felt raw to the touch, just to try and get as much of the Omega scent off him as he could.

He tried not to wrinkle his nose as he picked up the clothes he had worn the previous night. They reeked of him, and a fading rut scent, but it couldn't be helped. He slipped into the clothes, and gave the hotel room a once-over before leaving.

The lobby was empty, and quiet as the previous night's clients trickled bleary-eyed out the door. Soubi felt anxiety begin to rise in his chest as he scanned the lobby to find no sign of Kio. Kio always picked him up when his biology forced him to use a hotel. The lively Beta could usually be found chatting up the receptionist, or a security guard with nice arms, but that morning there was no trace of him. Had something happened while Soubi had fucked through his rut? Was Kio okay?

“Soubi.” The sound of Ritsuka's voice behind him made his brain kick into overdrive, and he felt his heart hammering in his chest. Why was Ritsuka here instead of Kio? Had Kio asked him to pick him up in his stead?

He turned and watched as Ritsuka pulled earbuds from his ears, and got to his feet. He didn't miss the dark look that passed over his lover's face as he caught a whiff of the scent wafting off him. It was the scent of sex, and sweat, and a night of messy coupling that Ritsuka wasn't privy to. It made Soubi want to shy away from him, but at the same time he craved to have Ritsuka close to him. At the tale-end of his rut, he felt protective to his long-time lover, this pup who still bore his ears.

“I have something to tell you...” Ritsuka started.

\----------

_Earlier that night._

It was late. The time was closer to dawn that it was to evening. The diner was American-style, and followed an American custom of staying open well past a time where anything decent could happen. Despite the ungodly late hour, it was nosier than Ritsuka had expected, full of people who were not quite right. They spoke with their words strung one after another, and their faces were flushed. They fell silent as Ritsuka entered the establishment behind Kio to stare at him. He couldn't help picking up his pace, and almost pressing into the Beta's back as they made their way to an empty table at the opposite end in their own private corner. Once Ritsuka had sat down, everything seemed to start up again, but he still sat in such as way that he could see the rowdy group out of the corner of his eye.

“I'm leaving,” Kio said, and the abrupt subject made Ritsuka wince. So, they were getting right down to it, were they?

“You and Soubi will be mated soon, and I'm getting older,” Kio continued. “I need to start looking for mate, or a pack of my own.”

“You would live in a pack?” Ritsuka said. Pack life wasn't a completely outdated custom, but it was becoming increasingly more rare with more preferring one mate.

“Well, yeah. I mean, monogamy has never really been my thing, and the idea of being able to live with other Betas in addition to Alphas, and Omegas sounds pretty nice.”

“Alright.” Ritsuka ordered a coffee from the Beta that approached them while Kio ordered a stack of pancakes. “When are you planning on moving out?”

“Tonight, right after we leave.”

Ritsuka was glad his coffee hadn't made its way to the table yet because he was sure he would have choked on it. “So soon? Does Soubi know? How long have you been thinking about this?”

“Well...” Kio rubbed at the back of his neck almost sheepishly. “Soubi doesn't know anything, and I'm sure it'll be a bit of a shock to him, but it just feels like the right time. I want to travel before I get too old.”

Ritsuka's coffee was placed in front of him, and out of habit he wrapped both hands around the mug, warming them while he regarded Kio's words. The change was sudden, very sudden, but as he smelled Soubi's sex on him, he couldn't say he wasn't a tiny bit happy about that.

There had always been a certain air between them. It wasn't quite strong enough to be described as animosity, but it was present in most of their interactions together. Most times it felt as though they were in competition for Soubi's affections with Ritsuka holding a certain advantage over Kio as he was already Soubi's long-term boyfriend. On the other hand, Kio had always taken care of Soubi, and even Ritsuka himself when he had needed it. The Beta had always been supportive of their relationship at least when his own jealousy failed to get the best of him.

Kio was the quietest Ritsuka had ever seen him as he worked his way through his pancake dish, the both of them lost in thoughts of their own. By the time Kio was done wolfing down his food, Ritsuka was still only half-way through his coffee.

“Well, I need to be off,” Kio announced, digging around in the pocket of his jeans in search of money. “Are you going to be okay on your own, or do you need me to walk you to the hotel? I'm assuming you would like to wait for Soubi?”

Ritsuka hesitated. He had spent so much mental energy on staying away from Soubi that he had convinced himself that he wasn't going to see Soubi for a while, and that Kio would take care of everything. The change threw him off.

“Yes,” Ritsuka said. “I'd like to see him.”

“Well, they won't let you see him, you know that. By now he's probably out of his mind, and plowing into that poor Omega like there's no tomorrow, but I can give you the address.”

Kio had stepped in a nerve, and Ritsuka had to physically bite down on his bottom lip to keep in the possessive snarl he wanted to give at Kio's words.

The Beta jotted down the address to the hotel on the back of a crumpled piece of paper, and slid it across the table. He left money for his pancakes, and gave a little wave. Before Kio left, he paused to talk to the rowdy group that had stared at Ritsuka on the way in, but he was far away, and leaning in close to speak to them in a low voice that Ritsuka couldn't hear. The group seemed to come to some kind of horrid realization that made Ritsuka wonder what Kio had said, but the Beta shot him a smile, and a wink before exiting the diner. Either way, Ritsuka wasn't bothered by the group for the remainder of his stay, so he supposed he should have been grateful.

When it finally came time for him to pay for his coffee, he swore inwardly as he patted himself down only to come up empty handed. Of course he had left his phone, and wallet at Yuiko's. He had no choice. Ritsuka got to his feet, and gave the staff a little wave before exiting the establishment himself. The bill Kio had left would cover his coffee and then some, but it still took a cut out of the tip, and he couldn't help but feel guilty about that.

His finger traced the edges of the wrinkled piece of paper inside his pocket as he made his way back to Yuiko's apartment. As much as he wanted to rush right to the hotel, there would be no point as he couldn't see Soubi anyway. He needed his backpack, and phone first. He moved through the streets at a quick pace, nearly a slow run as undesirables were probably everywhere. The tip of his tail flicked from side-to-side, and he kept tilting his head to listen for any sound of footsteps behind him. Since he still had his ears, it was likely he could be mistaken for a kid, and it could be dangerous if he was found wandering so late at night.

The light was still on in the apartment, and he let loose another curse. The guilt was going to overcome him if he wasn't careful. Someone – most likely Yuiko – had waited up for him, and now he was going to just leave.

Yuiko sat up, rubbing her eyes as Ritsuka came through the door to her apartment. She had fallen asleep hunched over the low table in the living space. Automatically, Ritsuka's spine bent in a position he wasn't used to.

"I'm sorry," he said, and his voice seemed to echo in the small, quiet space. "I need to leave. Something came up."

Yuiko pressed a finger to her lips, and gave him an annoyed look. It was a look he had never seen on her before, and it made him suddenly realize that she wasn't a child anymore. She was mated, and would probably move on to have children and marry, and it made Ritsuka feel very out of place.

Yuiko pointed to a pile of blankets on the floor behind her where Yayoi was sleeping soundly on the futon. She got to her feet, and flipped the hood on her sweater up, giving a little shiver as she walked past him, and back outside the apartment. Once the door was closed, she turned to him, and her eyes had lost their hard edge now that there was no risk of waking her sleeping mate.

"What happened?" she said. "Are you okay?"

Ritsuka nodded. "Yes. It's a long story. I'm sorry to have to put the both of you through so much trouble."

"It's okay. This kind of thing will keep happening anyway."

That comment caught Ritsuka off guard, and it pulled him out of his own mindset so focused on seeing Soubi. "What do you mean?"

"Ritsuka, he's an Alpha. One day he'll take your ears, and you'll present. If you present as anything but an Omega, things could get messy for you two. Two Alphas together, especially if the both of you happen to be in rut at the same time could get dangerous. You are most likely to present as a Beta, and it'll fall on your shoulders to make sure he doesn't get put down during one of his ruts, and as much as he'll try to control himself, bringing in a regular Omega will be a fact of life that you'll just have to accept."

Her words blindsided him, and in his already emotional state, made his brain kick into overdrive. He forced the feelings down in order to hold his composure together.

He thanked her again, and promised to come by very soon to help them unpack before he was gone.

The hotel wasn't that close by, a good jaunt from Yuiko's apartment, but the trip didn't seem to take any time at all. Alone, and with time to kill, Ritsuka mulled over his friend's words, and felt his stomach begin to grow cold. She was right. In all the years he had been with Soubi, he hadn't thought about it, or maybe he hadn't allowed himself to think about it. Maybe it was something he had known all along: that presenting as anything other than an Omega could potentially be dangerous with an Alpha partner.

Ritsuka explained to the receptionist that he was waiting for someone, and then took a seat on one of the couches in the lobby. Headphones provided him with the privacy to think, and simultaneously blocked out the mental picture of Soubi banging some strange Omega.

\----------

As soon as he saw Soubi's face fall, Ritsuka regretted ever feeling happy at the thought of Kio leaving. Of course it upset his boyfriend, Kio was his best friend, and to suddenly recieve news that he had left was a shock.

They took a cab back to Soubi's apartment, and the Alpha immediately checked every room with no sign of the Beta. Kio had left a note with his key taped to it explaining that he'd hire someone to move his stuff out of his room so Soubi could use it.

Soubi didn't speak much as they both showered, and settled into his bed for a proper sleep, not that Ritsuka had much to say either.

 

 


	8. A Pack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried not to make this one too angsty, or over-dramatic. Not sure if I succeeded, or not, but I really enjoyed writing this chapter, even if it was a little heartbreaking. Enjoy!

**A Pack**

The next few days were quiet around the apartment; Soubi too occupied with worrying about Kio, Ritsuka too consumed by his own guilt at ever wishing the Beta to leave, and neither of them having the emotional resources to talk about it.

Ritsuka missed Kio. He missed his jokes, and how the apartment always felt full of life when he was there. He missed lying in Soubi's bed late at night, and listening to their hushed voices from the living room talking about their latest art project. The Beta was Soubi's best friend, but Ritsuka always knew deep down that he was so much more. Kio had seen Soubi at his most vulnerable, which wasn't even something Ritsuka was privy to. He was like family.

Soubi never blamed Ritsuka, or their relationship for Kio leaving. He tried his best not to allow his feelings to bleed into their relationship, but it couldn't be helped. To Soubi, Kio might as well have died, the grief was so real to him.

Soubi had done everything he could to contact Kio. He phoned his cell, and left messages. He had taken to spending more time at the gallery they both worked at in the hopes of running into Kio. He checked all Kio's favourite hang-out spots only to come home alone, and looking dejected. Ritsuka had even called Kio several times, and left messages of his own, pleading for him to come home. He resisted telling Kio he was being childish, but would resort to mumbling so under his breath.

His lover's scent had shifted as he grieved, becoming softer, and wounded. He smelled hurt, and it made Ritsuka want to wrap his arms around him. It was painful to be away from Soubi, but their lives had to move on too.

He left to fulfill his promise to Yuiko, and help her, and Yayoi unpack. Soubi's rut had only been a few days ago, and their apartment was small. Most of their belongings were already unpacked, so Ritsuka took it upon himself to cook them dinner. It was the least he could do to thank them.

 

When he returned to Soubi's apartment later that night, full, and tired, Soubi sat in the living room. He had his back to the front door, and the scent all over the apartment was a mix of tears, cigarette smoke, and there was the thick smell of nervousness.

"Ritsuka," Soubi said. "Come here, please."

Ritsuka moved around to the front of the couch where Soubi sat with his body language open. Slowly, he moved to straddle his lap, and Soubi licked at the underside of his throat in a gesture of reassurance, and affection.

"What's wrong?" Ritsuka asked, nosing at his lover's throat, and confirming his suspicions about the nervous scent. He could feel Soubi's heart hammering in his chest.

"Ritsuka, I have something to tell you about Kio." There was a definite tremble in his voice, and he took a steadying breath. "I want to claim him, and form a pack between the three of us."

Ritsuka wasn't stupid, he knew what a pack was, and he knew what it meant to form one. He felt instant rage bubble in his chest. Soubi was asking to steak his claim to Kio, to put his mate mark on Kio before he had even claimed Ritsuka.

"Ritsuka..." Soubi said carefully, and Ritsuka knew his anger was blatant in his scent now. "I still want you as my mate. If you would let me, I'd claim you now as mine forever, but you haven't given me permission to do so yet. I should have noticed the uneasiness coming from Kio sooner, and maybe I did, but ignored it because the idea of claiming Kio before I had claimed you made me uncomfortable. Even though he's a Beta, he has instincts of his own, and he's getting older too. He was beginning to crave some stability. He needs a pack, and I want to give him that. So, the next time I see him, I will offer to claim him, but I need you to be accepting of that. If this is the only way to keep Kio close to me, then this is what I'll do...even if it causes conflict between us."

Ritsuka tried – he tried to stay calm, and rational, to have a civil discussion because that's what needed to happen right then, but there was another side too. A side deep in him, primal, instinctual, and selfish that didn't want to share the Alpha in front of him. The idea of Soubi claiming another made him bristle.

"So, what?... he'd be your mate then?" Ritsuka breathed.

Soubi nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose if he's bearing my mark, he would be."

"And you'll just...do this as soon as you see him, regardless of how I feel about it?"

"Ritsuka." There was pain in his eyes, it hurt to see it, and it hurt even more to know that the same pain was reflected in Ritsuka's eyes. "If you absolutely forbade me, I wouldn't do it because as much as I want Kio in my life, I want you more, but I never thought you would do such a thing." Ritsuka felt Soubi's hands tighten their grip on his thighs almost painfully, and he bit out the next part in the form of a growl, his voice shaking with restraint. "Damn it. I want to lay claim to you now, make you my mate. It's going to be hard for you to see Kio with my mark, and smell me on him. I want to make it easier for you, Ritsuka if you'd just let me. I know you're not ready to lose your ears, and I understand why that is, but at least let me mark you. It would take the edge off so much."

He felt weak, his body shaking. Soubi's proposition had blindsided him so suddenly, and he felt as though the air had been kicked out of his lungs. He was torn between wanting Soubi's arms to swallow him, and wanting to run away, but he had a choice. It wasn't really a choice, and he knew it. Forbidding Soubi from doing want he was asking would break his lover's heart, and their relationship might not recover from it. Even so, just having the choice that wasn't really a choice at all cut through the fog. If he really, badly wanted to, he could say no, and Soubi would obey him because he loved him.

Pack mentality, and pack living wasn't so unusual. Most couples were now choosing to pair with just each other, but forming a pack was still far from being a rarity. It was something that was traditionally done, and was natural. The only reason Ritsuka's instincts were going wild was because he was unclaimed, and he still had his ears. It was true that allowing Soubi to claim him would make him more comfortable with the idea on an instinctual level, and he would be most likely to accept Kio. As a Beta, Kio suffered none of the hormonal swings of an Alpha, or Omega, and his scent was different. His scent was calmer, and less pronounced, which would make for a smooth transition. As long as he continued to remember that he was mostly being driven by his instincts, he could overcome this. He wasn't going to allow Soubi to claim him out of some kind of desperation.

"It's okay," Ritsuka said as he began to pull off Soubi to get to his feet. "I just need to go out for some air for a while."

Soubi's hand grabbed his wrist before he could get very far. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. I just need a little time, I'll be back later tonight."

"I love you."

Those words never failed to make him flush. "Don't say things like that."

 

Ritsuka's feet moved on their own.

The past several months were a blur, more than a blur. It still seemed surreal as though everything were just a dream, and he would wake any time. He was forced to move away from home at the start of his heat, went through Soubi's rut, and now he was facing the reality of a pack.

He hadn't really given much thought as to what a future between him, and Soubi would look like, but he knew that he couldn't imagine it without Kio being there in some capacity. A pack though...was he ready for that?

Every pack was different: in some packs, all members had sex freely with each other, and in some packs they didn't. Sometimes it was only the Alpha who had sex with their Betas, and Omegas. There were endless possabilities. What did Ritsuka want his pack to look like? Would he want to fuck Kio, or vice-versa? He was certain that Soubi had thought about these possibilities. As an Alpha, how would he feel about Ritsuka being intimate with Kio? There was no doubt that he would feel possessive on some level, that was just his nature as an Alpha.

Ritsuka let out a sigh. One thing at a time.

When he was about to reach for a doorknob on a house that wasn't Soubi's apartment, Ritsuka startled back to reality. In his worried state, he had wandered back to his – his mother's house because he knew it wasn't his anymore. All the lights were off, and the house looked empty. His mother was probably either out, or sleeping.

Checking the area for any nosy neighbours, Ritsuka wondered if he could make it up to his old room. His window had a lock on the inside, but he always left it open in case he forgot his house keys. If his mother had locked it he wouldn't be able to get in, but he supposed there was no harm in trying.

The house had a big tree in front of it, which he used to get him to his bedroom window on the second floor. He pulled himself through the branches as silently as possible, hoping no one was looking outside before he was high enough that the foliage concealed him from sight. He tugged at the window, and was happy when it slid in its frame with a satisfying pop.

Ritsuka didn't know what made him climb the tree in the first place. Maybe he wasn't as grown up as he had thought he was, and just needed something familiar. He did know that the state in which his possessions might be in hadn't crossed his mind in the slightest, so it was an emotional blow that knocked the air from him when he saw what used to be his old bedroom in utter shambles.

It couldn't have been anything other than his mother that had torn his room apart. With only the light coming from the street casting shadows through the window from which he climbed, he saw everything - from books to games to Cds had been ripped from their shelves. His desktop computer appeared as though it had been hurtled against the opposite wall, and the contents of his closest were strewn all over the floor. Despite the wreckage, the space still smelled familiar, like him, and it broke his heart.

The emotions that Ritsuka had been suppressing since he was forced from the home by his own mother all rushed at him in a tidal wave that made his knees buckle. In the middle of his old room, slumped against the wall under the window, Ritsuka cried. He cried for Seimi, and his mother. He cried to Soubi and Kio, and most of all, he cried for himself. His tears pooled in the palm of his hands, only to slip through his fingers, and stain the carpet. The sobs wracked his body, and made his chest heave as he struggled to stay silent, rather than throw his head back, and wail like he wanted to. It felt like hours he sat in the silence, so small he could have been mistaken for a small child insted of a college student. When his sobs finally began to subside, he sniffed, and wiped his face, taking a deep breath that helped center himself.

One step at a time.

He found his photo album to be one of the only things that had remained in its place on his shelf. He grabbed it, and resisted opening the cover lest another wave of emotion overcome him. Ritsuka looked around the room one last time. Down the hall, he was sure Seimei's bedroom had remained untouched, but he didn't go there. Being in Seimei's old bedroom where his scent was faded, but still present would have been too much for him. Ritsuka's future was elsewhere.

After he had scaled the tree, and returned to the street, Ritsuka opened his phone. He called the police, and explained that he had just been cast from his home by his abusive mother. He was on his way to a friend's house now, but that his mother was sick. As he closed his phone, he hoped she got the help she needed. She deserved it.

 

When he entered Soubi's – no, his apartment, his lover turned from the piece of art he had been working on with a cigarette between his lips. He took a drag, and as he exhaled the smoke, Ritsuka saw him tilt his head to the air, no doubt smelling the dried tears that were on Ritsuka. Before Soubi could speak, Ritsuka toed off his shoes, and headed towards their bedroom, suddenly feeling tired.

"Ritsuka," Soubi called. "Are you alright?"

He turned, and regarded his lover. "I want you to take my ears during my next heat," he said. "In the meantime, bring Kio back home."

\----------

Kio was good at hiding when he wanted to be. Soubi wasn't even sure if he was still employed at the gallery they both worked at as he hadn't seen him, and hadn't heard about his whereabouts from anyone. He had checked all the local spots where he thought Kio might spend his time, but no one had seen him. As the days passed, he could feel his frustration mounting.

The movers that Kio had promised would come hadn't yet, and Soubi hoped it was because Kio knew he was being childish and going over the top too. If he would just stop being stubborn, and talk none of this would happen.

It was by chance that Soubi heard his voice, loud, and obnoxious cracking into a laugh after another night of wandering the streets aimlessly in search of him. Soubi had turned towards the sound, and found Kio hanging on the street with a bunch of kids, but his attitude was so childish that they probably mistook him for a child himself. The people in the company he kept must have been around Ritsuka's age, and as soon as Soubi spun on his heel, their eyes met through the crowd.

Kio looked as though Soubi had physically slapped him, his smirk wiped instantly, and completely from his face mid-laugh. It made the people gathered around him curious, but before they could follow his gaze to where Soubi stood, Kio smiled widely, and excused himself.

As Kio slipped through the crowd, Soubi followed, but much less subtly. He gave low growls to those who took more than a moment to move out of his way, and slowly the crowd began to split to make a path for him. They responded to the smell of an Alpha's desperation, and frustration. Kio was trying to run away down an alley. He was going to reach it before Soubi, and the Alpha picked up his pace. As soon as he reached the mouth of the alley, he took off at a full sprint after the blur that was Kio as he rounded each corner just a fraction of a second before Soubi.

The chase didn't last long, Soubi's instincts to claim driving him forward at an almost inhuman pace. If he lost sight of Kio for more than a second, or two, he was able to follow the feint scent of him until he was directly behind the Beta. He grabbed the back of Kio's jacket, and slammed him against the wall a little harder than he meant to in his effort to stop the fleeing Beta.

"What?!" Kio's voice cracked in a high keen, and he sniffed, his hands coming up to his face to cover it, hiding his tears, but the scent of them permeated Soubi's senses, making his heart lurch. "What do you want from me?"

Soubi was torn between using his words, and physically comforting the Beta like his instincts screamed at him to do so. He settled for both, leaning forward, and caging Kio in with both hands braced on the wall on either side of him. He pressed their foreheads together even though Kio's hands still covered his face. He was glad that Kio didn't pull away from him.

They stayed like that for a long moment while Soubi pulled his reeling emotions together. He didn't know what to say, or how he should say it. He knew what he wanted, but it was possible that Kio wouldn't want the same thing. A pack with the two of them plus Ritsuka. Ritsuka had struggled over the idea as he slowly came to terms with it, and he was sure Kio would struggle too. None of them were bonded to each other on an instinctual level, and it made it difficult.

"Kio," Soubi started, his voice soft, and without any power to it. "Can we go somewhere to talk?"

Kio didn't say anything, but shook his head furiously.

"Alright, should I say it here?"

"Say what here?"

Soubi resisted the urge to sigh. This stubborn, childish Beta was who he was about to take as a mate, and in just a few short months, he was going to claim Ritsuka too. He wondered if he shouldn't get out now.

"Can you look at me, please?" Soubi asked.

Reluctantly, Kio lowered his hands, and leveled Soubi with a tear-filled glare, but he pushed on. He had to say it, and he had to say it now.

"I want to form a pack with you," Soubi said. "With you, and Ritsuka."

"So?" Kio spat. "That doesn't mean anything."

It was instinct that made Soubi lean forward just a little to tilt his head to the side. He was trying to convey his thoughts from his words, and his scent, wanting Kio to smell how desperate he was to claim.

"I know it doesn't," Soubi continued. "I could say that just to make you come home, and resume our life how we were before, but I don't want that. I want to claim you, and make you my mate."

"Yeah? How does Ritsuka feel about that?"

"He's working through it. I'm going to take his ears during his next heat, but until then it'll be a bit of a struggle."

Kio looked at him with skepticism painting his features. "And, what? You expect Ritsuka, and I to fuck each other?"

"That's up to you, and Ritsuka. All I ask is that you don't take his ears, or claim him before me."

Kio's eyebrows shot up, and he gave a short bark of a laugh. "Wow, seriously? Holy shit. I never thought you would let anyone lay any claim to Ritsuka."

The idea was obviously still a tender spot for Soubi as he couldn't stop he soft snarl at the thought of anyone claiming Ritsuka, and Kio backed off, raising his hands defensively.

"Fine, but I also don't think monogamy is for me, even in a pack."

Soubi nodded. "I know."

"Are there going to be rules that will hinder my whoring around?"

"Yes."

"Like what?"

"They're not to claim you, or knot you."

"Knot me? Think I'll be satisfied with just your knot?"

"You'd have to be."

The light-hearted mood dissipated, and Kio leaned in nice and close. Soubi was breathing a little harder now, finding it difficult to tolerate the Beta's teasing, and hesitation, but he endured. A good Alpha controled themselves for the good of their pack, and his pack's happiness were paramount.

"Are we really doing this?" Kio asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "A pack, mates? Commitment, forever?"

"Yes," Soubi growled. God, he wanted to kiss him, his fingers itched to bury themselves in that coloured hair of his. "...Kio."

"I know. Come with me."

Kio grabbed his hand, and led him from the alley. As they walked together down the street, it felt right to have Kio's hand in his. He resisted every instinct to growl at any Alpha they passed who even so much as looked in Kio's direction. In the long term, Kio wouldn't tolerate any intolerance to his slutty habits. It was something Soubi would have to learn to accept, and he figured that he might as well start now.

It turned out that Kio had been living in a run-down hotel suite. Outside it didn't look like much, but inside his room, he had everything he needed: bed, bathroom, and even a small kitchenette.

"I suppose this is the reason the movers hadn't come yet," Soubi said as he shrugged out of his jacket. "You hadn't found an apartment."

"What can I say? It's difficult in the city." Kio moved to the other side of the bed, and opened the nightstand from which he retrieved a small bottle. "Give me a minute."

"What are you doing?"

"Going to prep myself."

Soubi didn't like that idea. It was probably habit for Kio from when they had sex while Soubi was in rut, but Soubi also wondered if it wasn't a remnant of what he did with other Alphas. Was he expected to lock himself in the bathroom alone each time only to come out for the Alpha to use him?

Soubi reached for the bottle in Kio's hand. The Beta didn't pull away, but he gripped the bottle tighter, so Soubi settled for covering his hand with his own.

"I want to prep you myself," Soubi breathed. Kio was so close, he wanted to just let go, and ravish him, but the smell of Kio's hesitation made him keep a clear head. "Let's take this slow. There's no need to rush."

"I'm not a virgin, Sou-chan," Kio's laugh held an odd sort of dryness as though it were a joke, but it wasn't.

"No, you're not," Soubi said, and he stepped backwards until his knees hit the back of the bed, and he lie down, pulling Kio on top of him to straddle his hips. "Are you nervous?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Claiming is...a big deal. Mating is a big deal. You'll be my mate, Soubi."

"We've had sex before." Soubi slid his hands up the back of Kio's shirt, feeling the smooth skin there, and making the Beta shiver.

"Yes, but you've always been in rut."

"So now I'll be more polite."

"But -"

"How do you get any whoring done if you talk so much?" Soubi teased, and it earned him a light smack from his friend. "Kio, nothing will change if you don't want it to."

As the Beta mulled that over, Soubi began to unbutton Kio's shirt. He slid the buttons through their holes quicker, and more roughly than he would if he were undressing Ritsuka. Kio was bigger, and one thing that Soubi did know through fucking him in the haze of his rut was that Kio liked it rough. Soubi didn't mind it either if he bled a little.

He pushed Kio's shirt from his shoulders, and his hand brushed against something that made Kio hiss. Careful of the patch, he peeled the shirt the rest of the way off to expose a bandage on Kio's shoulder.

"You haven't found an apartment because you're too busy getting new tattoos," Soubi said.

He was fairly certain that was the first time he had seen Kio blush.

He pulled Kio down for their first kiss outside the rushed haze of his rut. He made sure it was deep, and slow, drawing a low croon from the Beta, his Alpha instincts driving him to please his soon-to-be mate. When Kio tried to pull down the collar of his shirt to kiss at the exposed skin, Soubi shook his head.

"Shower," he said. "I'm all sweaty from wandering the streets looking for you all night."

"Come on then."

Kio pulled off him, and took a moment to kick off his pants before moving naked into the bathroom. Soubi followed, and admired the Beta as he bent to turn on the shower. With the addition of the tattoo under the bandage, the sleeve that Kio had been working so hard on was almost complete, and just needed a few more smaller pieces about the wrist. Kio's body was tighter than his, the Beta spending more time at the gym than he did, and Soubi enjoyed watching the muscles ripple beneath his skin.

"You might want to take off your clothes," Kio said as he gingerly peeled off the bandage.

Soubi did, and left them on the bathroom floor, hopping under the warm water before Kio had finished uncovering the fresh wound that was his new tattoo. He gave a sigh as the water washed over him, and automatically gathered his long hair in one hand to pull over one shoulder so the spray could massage the tension from his back.

"Damn, I do love that hair of yours, Sou-chan," Kio said as he got into the shower behind Soubi. "Makes me want to pull it."

Soubi bared his teeth in something that resembled a smile. "Dominate me? I'd like to see you try."

"Well, you don't act like the Alpha you are half the time. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you for a Beta. Come here."

They made out as they washed each other, but their touches were distinctly different than they had been in the past. They weren't trying to arouse, they were getting to know one another. Each touch was an almost selfish act as they slowly crossed the boundary from being friends to lovers, becoming comfortable with being intimate.

Kio's tattoos fascinated him. Soubi would often stare at his friend, or ask him to roll up his sleeve so he could admire the artwork inked into the skin, but it was the first time he was allowed to touch all he wanted. For a long while, Soubi lathered soap over the ink, being mindful when Kio shied away from his touch the closer he got to the new tattoo.

Very little words were exchanged between them except for questions asking for consent, or help in deciphering whether a sound made was of pain, or pleasure. Kio spent less time looking at Soubi, and more time touching. It was these touches that Soubi appreciated. Kio had touched him intimately before, but through the haze of rut, all Soubi had were faded memories, and desperation. He wanted Kio to touch him, and he wanted to remember each touch clearly.

He had Kio panting, chest heaving shallowly as he swiped his tongue over the scent glands at the underside of his throat. Kio's scent mixed with the smell of water made it fresh, and clean, with just the faintest undercurrent of arousal beginning to taint it. He loosed a small growl at the feel of Kio's hand in his hair as the Beta unintentionally tugged too hard. In his own show of dominance, Soubi stepped closer, pressing their bodies flush as he continued to scent Kio. The contact made the Beta tremble, and Soubi wrapped one arm around his waist to ensure his legs didn't buckle. He sucked the skin pink, and moved onto the other side, working the sensetive glands over. By the time he was done, the smell of arousal was blatent now, and Soubi's patience had run out.

They dried themselves quickly, but when Kio began to crack jokes as they left the bathroom, the arousal leaving his scent, it made Soubi's eyes darken. This wasn't the mindset he wanted his Beta in. He watched Kio's stride, and picked just the right moment when he would be the most off-balance before he shoved him hard from behind. It made Kio stumble, and fall forward onto the bed. Instantly, Soubi was on him, kicking his legs apart, and pinning his hips. Kio made a noise of protest, which turned into a mewl of pleasure as Soubi licked a wide stripe along his ass. With one hand on his lower back, and one hand resting on the cheek of his ass, Soubi ate him out, licking against the tight pucker until he felt it begin to relax against his tongue. The fading smell of arousal surged, and returned with more force than before. It made something inside Soubi coo at hearing his mate, his Beta whine in pleasure.

The position was awkward, Kio having fallen with his front half on the bed while his feet, spread forcefully by Soubi, supported the majority of his weight. Under Soubi's ministrations, it wasn't long until his legs were trembling, and he slowly slid down until his knees pressed into the carpet. Soubi followed as he forced his tongue deep, past the tight ring of muscles, and into the waiting warmth. Kio arched, and shuddered even as he pushed back against Soubi, begging for more.

Soubi felt his own cock begin to harden as he noticed Kio reach to stroke himself. He spread Kio's ass with both hands, and ate him out in earnest now, wanting to know how far he could push the Beta. Could he make pretty words fall from his lips? Make him come into his own hand?

He alternated between fucking Kio with his tongue, and lapping at his ass, enjoying the small moans, and hisses that were growing in pitch and volume.

"Don't tease me," Kio growled, and it made Soubi smile against his skin. So Kio didn't like delayed gratification, at least when he wasn't in charge.

Kio gripped at the bed coverings even as the sweetest sounds fell from him. It spurred Soubi on, and he sped up his pace, fucking him as deep as he could with his tongue.

"F-ah!...Sou-chan – mmm." The sudden muffling of Kio's voice made him look up, his tongue continuing its sinful work. Kio had taken a piece of the blanket between his teeth as he rocked back onto Soubi's face, and forward into his hand.

A slick noise reached his ears. It was Kio's hand as he began to leak precome. He was moaning openly into the bedspread now. Soubi was sure if he pushed him just a little further he would have come, but he pulled off. The growl that came out of Kio made Soubi snarl back. He wasn't going to allow a Beta to dominate him.

Kio took a moment, panting with his face in the bedspread. Soubi could see him trying to gather his wits as he stood to look for the bottle of lube that had been discarded before they took their shower.

"I never knew you could eat ass like that," Kio panted as he crawled up to the head of the bed, and lie flat on his stomach. "Ritsuka is lucky."

"You are too." Soubi found the bottle on the floor, half-hidden under the bed. "I know you've always thought of Ritsuka as out-ranking you because he's my boyfriend, but you need to let go of that now. The two of you are equally important to me."

"Hmm. I guess." Of course there was concern in his eyes, none of this was going to go smoothly, and as the Alpha it fell on Soubi to see that both his lovers were well taken care of, physically, and emotionally.

Soubi climbed onto the bed, and planted a reassuring kiss between Kio's shoulder blades.

"How do you really feel about me fucking Ritsuka?" Kio asked, adjusting himself so he could look at Soubi over his shoulder. "I mean yeah, you'd take his ears, and then claim him, but what about after that? After he presents, or even before?"

Soubi already had a finger coated with lube, which he held up. "Are you really wanting to have this conversation now?"

Kio nodded, and Soubi sighed, reaching down to circle the lubed digit against the Beta's already loosed hole.

"I feel most possessive of Ritsuka," Soubi said, pushing the finger in, and watching as Kio arched to him with a soft moan. He fucked Kio slowly, gently. "I don't like the idea of you searching for pleasure outside of the pack, but it's also something I have watched for many years. Ritsuka, and I have never taken pleasure outside of each other save for when I am in rut, and it will be difficult to watch the two of you together. However, I have a lot of trust in you. I trust that you wouldn't go against my wishes, and take his ears, or mark him before me. I know that you would be gentle with him, and pleasure him, perhaps more than I am able."

As his finger slid deeper, he pressed against the soft walls, and licked his lips as Kio spread his legs for him. His cock was hard, ready, and leaking. He gave the swollen shaft a few short pumps that did more to ignite his desire for the Beta than it did to extinguish it.

Kio nodded to show he understood, and Soubi added more lube before sliding a second finger inside. The Beta was tight, but he was no virgin. Already loose from Soubi's tongue, he took two fingers beautifully, and it wasn't any time at all until Soubi was pumping three fingers inside him, spreading him, stretching him. Soubi couldn't wait to fuck him without being blinded by his rut pheromones.

When Kio flipped over suddenly, Soubi's fingers slipped from his ass in such a way that had to hurt, but it didn't seem to bother the Beta. Kio spread his legs, and grinned up at him, inviting him. Soubi slicked his cock with the lube, resisting the instinctual urge to buck into his own hand, and he was rewarded with an amused chuckle for his efforts. He lined himself up, and pushed in, biting down on his bottom lip as Kio tightened for just a moment before relaxing, and allowing the head of his cock the breech his entrance.

The heat was nearly searing. His rut was a desperate time for him as he focused on simultaneously holding himself back, and wanting to fuck hard. There was always a fog that seemed to separate him from the act, but he was present now, fully and aware, the pleasure threatening to overwhelm him. As soon as he bottomed out, he gave a small thrust that made a whimpering noise form at the back of Kio's throat.

"Not yet," the Beta panted. "Give me a moment."

Soubi focused on taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart, but the Beta seemed to have different plans as he wrapped his legs around Soubi's waist, forcing him even deeper. Soubi felt his hands clench on the blankets below them so he wouldn't thrust right away. As he felt the Beta relax, he began to move, slowly, and shallowly, making Kio's breath hitch. He kept that pace as he teased the rings pierced through Kio's ears with his tongue, giving a small smile at the responding moan. He dared to nip at the metal with his teeth, tugging slightly, and it made Kio press dull nails to his arm, and drag down his skin. The pressure wasn't enough to draw blood, but it made Soubi's instincts surge, and he snapped his hips forward.

His thrusts became rough as the urge to claim the Beta overtook him, and Kio appealed to his instincts by dragging his nails down Soubi's back. The pain made him hiss, his back arching. His mate was challenging him, showing him dominance, but also forcing Soubi to his most basic mindset. He didn't have to hold back for fear of hurting Kio, and it made the Alpha in him hum in approval.

Saliva was pooling on his tongue, but he wasn't ready, not there yet. He drove deep, making the Beta keen below him. Kio kept his legs wrapped around him, and Soubi felt something slide against his stomach. He gave the Beta room as he jerked off in time to Soubi's thrusts. Seeing Kio pleasuring himself was both torturous, and satisfying. He liked watching the way Kio's hand stroked up his length, giving a twist of his wrist at the head before pulling back down. The Beta milked himself of drops of precome, the sight making Soubi's cock twitch.

Soubi was panting open-mouthed, and he knew he couldn't hold back anymore. He had waited for so long, the threads of his control were snapping. He slammed into Kio a few more times, and as soon as he heard the Beta cry out, he leaned forward to bite down on Kio's collarbone, making sure his mark was deep. The coppery taste of blood that rushed onto his tongue pushed him over the edge. He thrust deep, and spilled inside his mate, claiming him on the inside as well as the outside.

As Kio's voice cracked in pain, Soubi pulled away, and licked at the fresh wound, soothing the burning flesh. It would need salve, and a bandage, but for now Soubi allowed himself to enjoy the sight of his mate, torn open by him, and claimed. He fucked into Kio a few more times just to hear the sounds that left his pretty mouth. A part of him wanted to do it again, keep rocking his hips to bring himself around, and spill inside the Beta again.

"Too sensative," Kio whined, and Soubi gave one more hard thrust before reluctantly pulling out.

There was a strange itch under his skin. He had claimed Kio, and it was immesly satisfying, but he felt something was missing. Soubi sat back on his heels, and rolled his shoulders. His mate – he rolled that word around in his head, _mate_ Kio was his now – lie looking satiated, but not as fucked-out as Soubi wanted him.

Soubi lie down beside Kio, and rolled him onto his side. The Beta allowed it with a sigh, but tensed when the head of Soubi's cock brushed his slick entrance. Soubi hushed his protests, and pressed back into him. He was gentle, rocking into his mate, and sucking bruises into the back of his neck. When Kio's cock hardened again, Soubi jerked him off until he came before rolling him onto his stomach, and fucking him hard.

 

By the end of the night, Kio lie barely able to move, panting, and drenched in sweat. The itch swelled under his skin again. Taking a mate satisfied him, but he knew Ritsuka was waiting back at home, and with Kio satiated, the urge to go to Ritsuka was nearly overpowering.

"We should go," Kio said, stretching, and sitting up. 

\----------

Even to his Beta senses, Kio could smell the sadness as soon as he entered the apartment. Ritsuka was in the living room with his back against the far wall facing them. He was curled in on himself, his knees pulled up to his chest, and his head resting in his arms. His feline ears were drooped, and his tail curled tight around himself. The apartment was filled with the soft sound of sobbing, and it broke his heart.

Soubi strode past him without even taking off his shoes, a desperate look on his face at seeing his boyfriend so distraught. As the Alpha came closer, Ritsuka looked up, and winced as though he had been physically struck. It made Soubi stop in his tracks, and fall to his knees, his head bowed in utter submission. Ritsuka could smell the mating bond between them, and it hurt him.

Kio followed Soubi's lead, but he sat facing Ritsuka. He gave the pup a polite amount of personal space, but conveyed through his body language as best as he could that his attention was on Ritsuka.

On the floor beside Ritsuka was an open photo album with photos of himself, his mother, and his late brother. Kio felt a deep guilt, and his fresh mate mark throbbed. Ritsuka had been with Soubi for years, and it was killing him that Soubi had claimed Kio first.

Kio took a deep breath, and gathered his courage, keeping his head bowed submissively. "Ritsuka," he said quietly. "Let's talk."

 


	9. Growing Pains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, two chapters two weeks in a row, and then an extra chapter when it's not even posting time. Aren't you guys lucky? I thought it would be good to do a shorter chapter because these little scenes fit nicely, and will improve the flow of the next chapter. Enjoy!

Ritsuka had expected this. He had known that when Soubi didn't come home that night what he was doing, but it was still hard. He had attempted to keep himself distracted with studying for his final exams, then cleaning the apartment, and finally sometime in the middle of the night, exhausted, but not able to sleep, he had to face himself.

He sat down in the living room, and opened the photo album, which housed the happy memories of his mother and brother. His entire life he had lived by Seimei's example because if he didn't he would be lost. He no longer had that luxury, and he was indeed lost. The feelings bled from him in the form of tears that once started, wouldn't stop. He wanted to be loving, and supportive when Kio came back home, but he just didn't have the strength. He was too overwhelmed.

"Ritsuka," Kio said. "Let's talk."

He wanted to go to Soubi, he was craving physical contact. His boyfriend looked so dejected, and hurt that he wanted to soothe him, but most of all he needed that intimacy. The mate bond between the two of them was strong, Ritsuka could smell the freshness in the air, and the metallic scent of Kio's blood. There was a faint scent of Soubi's blood too, and it made Ritsuka's temper flare. Kio had not only taken Soubi's mark, but spilled Soubi's blood too. It was that mate bond that kept him rooted to the spot. It wasn't his place anymore to seek comfort from Soubi.

"Why don't we move onto the couch?" Kio suggested. "It would be easier for you two to be physically close."

Ritsuka wanted to scream at him. He didn't need Kio to order him around when it came to _his_ boyfriend, but he suppressed his urges, and just gave a nod.

The Beta taking control seemed to snap Soubi out of his stupor, and he got to this feet. He covered the distance between himself, and Ritsuka in a few short strides, and held out his hand. Ritsuka took it with some hesitation, which melted away when Soubi yanked him to his feet, and wrapped his arms tight around him. A lump formed in Ritsuka's throat as he pressed against the chest of his boyfriend. When Soubi's grip tightened, trying to convey his feelings in one simple act, the tears began to flow freely again, and he sobbed. His hands found the back of Soubi's shirt, pulling the Alpha against him as he cried freely. Even though Soubi reeked of Kio, and the mating bond, underneath it all, he still smelled like him, and it was familiar. He felt Soubi's lips brush the top of his hair, and his ears, making them tingle.

When his sobs began to subside, Soubi finally spoke. "Ritsuka," he said. "I love you."

"I know," Ritsuka sobbed, nuzzling against Soubi's front. "I know, but it still hurts."

After they had their moment, Soubi tugged him over to the couch where Kio waited patiently. The Beta had chosen to sit as close to the edge as possible with one leg folded under him, facing the rest of the couch, and ready to talk. Soubi purposefully chose to sit in the middle, still within arms reach of Kio, but not so close as to make Ritsuka uncomfortable. Ritsuka curled up on Soubi's lap with Kio in his line of sight. Being close to the Alpha set his instincts more at ease, and he hoped he would be civil enough to have a conversation.

When they all settled in, Soubi was the one to start. It was going to be long night of heavy negotiations, and emotions for all of them.

 

Ritsuka felt more at ease the next morning as he cuddled close to Soubi. They were in their bed together, and the Beta was back in his bedroom. It was the temporary arrangement made by the three of them, but Kio wouldn't be happy with it for long. Soubi instinctively wanted to be close to his new mate, to make sure his scent was all over him, and to rip open his mate mark often to make sure it formed a nice dark scar. For now, they were foregoing that until Ritsuka was claimed by Soubi, but Kio wouldn't stand for sleeping away from his mate after his next heat. They were being as considerate as they could for Ritsuka's feelings.

He wanted to fall back asleep, but he heard rattling in the kitchen, and knew he had to get up. He had something to do.

Slipping on a pair of jeans, Ritsuka quietly exited the bedroom so as to not wake the sleeping Alpha. Kio was in the middle of making coffee, and smiled brightly at him as Ritsuka mumbled a 'good morning'. He asked if Ritsuka wanted coffee, spooned more coffee grounds into the white filter in response to Ritsuka's yes.

"I want to scent you," Ritsuka said suddenly when Kio had launched into a different subject matter. He felt a blush creep into his cheeks as he saw Kio turn to look at him out of the corner of his eye. "We said last night that we'd get to know each other, right? Well, I want to scent you."

"Of course," Kio replied. "Ritsuka, if that's what you want, but I was thinking about getting coffee, or something -"

"I don't want to drag it out. It'll hurt more if we do."

Kio nodded slowly, considering his words as he put the container of coffee, and the spoon down on the counter. Ritsuka approached, and Kio leaned back on the counter with both hands gripping the edge. He made no move to touch Ritsuka as he stood close.

"I don't want you to touch me," Ritsuka said. "Keep your hands where they are. I don't want you to scent me either."

Kio nodded again, and tilted his chin up to give Ritsuka access to the glands on his throat. Kio was taller than him, but not as tall as Soubi. Ritsuka had to stand on his toes, and he was off balance. He leaned forward, placing one hand on Kio's shoulder as he nosed at Kio's throat. He didn't lick, didn't touch yet. He inhaled deep, getting used to the smell. It was familiar already, they lived together after all, and he had known Kio for almost as long as he'd known Soubi. While Soubi's Alpha scent was strong, heady, and woody, Kio's was softer, and faintly sweet. It reminded Ritsuka a little of his own scent, and it helped to set him at ease.

The first swipe of his tongue along one of Kio's glands made the scent stronger, and it reminded him of sweet tea. It was subtle, welcoming, and Ritsuka realized that he liked it. It was the same scent that had held him, and kept him safe while he was in heat. It made him more comfortable, and bold enough to tangle his fingers in the hair at Kio's nape as he licked at the skin. The Beta sighed, and tilted his head back more. The blatant submission from the Beta pleased Ritsuka. Kio was showing that he trusted him not to nip too hard, and it gave both of them pleasure.

Kio's body language was very different from that of Soubi's. Soubi's touch always had an air of possessiveness, and he was always firm with Ritsuka. Kio's Beta nature meant that he didn't have the same instincts as Soubi, allowed him to relax completely under Ritsuka, and Ritsuka found himself enjoying it.

He used his tongue to press harder, and tease more of the scent. Kio stood stalk-still, but Ritsuka felt his arms flex as he gripped the edge of the counter.

Ritsuka couldn't do the other side, he was already panting from a new scent so close to him. He rested his forehead on Kio's shoulder as he recovered, the tip of his ear brushing against Kio's skin, and making it flick automatically.

After a moment, Kio let out a chuckle. "Ritsuka, you're tickling me."

"Sorry," Ritsuka mumbled as he pulled away.

"How did that feel?"

"Ah, good...I guess. You're already familiar to me, but I like the way you smell. It's a little sweet."

Kio looked immensely pleased before turning back to making the coffee. "Good."

When the coffee was done, Kio brought him a steaming cup. Ritsuka accepted it, and curled up on the couch as the Beta returned to the kitchen to pour his own cup. Kio wandered back into the living room, past where Ritsuka sat to an unfinished piece of art that was on a easel.

"If we were to fuck, would you top or bottom?" Ritsuka asked.

He watched as Kio winced, burning his tongue on the hot coffee, which started up a coughing fit as he simultaneously choked on the coffee already in his mouth. Ritsuka waited until he recovered, and then plopped down on the couch with a sigh.

"I knew you were direct, Ritsuka, but damn," Kio said, braving another tentitive sip of hot coffee. "What would you want?"

"Would our positions in bed be decided solely what I want?"

Kio gave that some thought, bringing his cup to his lips, and blowing on the hot liquid. "I'm going to say yes. I like to fuck, or be fucked, and you are so insanely cute that I'd be happy with whatever you want."

It was different from Soubi, very different. Soubi always topped, and they had never discussed the possibility of Soubi bottoming. The Beta seemed willing to do both, and he couldn't deny that he wasn't interested.

"Do you have any fantasies?" Ritsuka said, deciding to leave the topic of their positions for a later date. "Where I'm concerned, I mean. Any fantasies you would want to act out with me?"

Kio took another sip of his coffee, and managed not to choke in it this time. "You're cute, and small. Can't say I haven't thought about having you straddle my lap on this couch. I'd like to watch your face as I finger you until you come."

Ritsuka knew Kio was using such vulgar words because he had set the tone, and done so first, but it didn't stop him from blushing at the mental picture his words provided.

Kio smiled knowingly at him. "We don't have to rush. It's good to talk about these things, but there's nothing saying that we have to put the words into actions anytime soon."

Ritsuka nodded, bringing his steaming mug to his lips, and taking a small sip. It felt good to talk to Kio, it helped to make him more comfortable, and the Beta was right: there was no rush.

 


	10. You're My Alpha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have over 50 subscribers to this series, which is half of the number of my tumblr followers. That's pretty good considering this series was basically a 'well, I guess I'll write this' kind of thing that happened to turn into my longest-running series.
> 
> I needed a Ritsuka that was a teasing little shit. Enjoy!

If they were ever going to become a cohesive unit, Ritsuka and Kio needed time to figure out the dynamics between themselves. That had practically become a mantra for Soubi, a tender spot that he needed to remind himself of often. He knew it would be worth it in the end, but the timing of it all was torturous.

The first time he had woken, and stumbled through the thick smell of Kio right in the middle of the kitchen, he had been caught off guard by it. Kio had clearly been scented, and it definitely wasn't by his doing. He tamped down on his own instincts as he poured his coffee from the pot, and watched Ritsuka and Kio in their conversation on the couch. It was obvious that Ritsuka had scented Kio, and by the smell of it, could only manage to do one gland. Soubi was both elated, and deeply offended. Kio was _his_ , his mate, and Soubi should be the only one scenting him, but he wanted the two of them to take the time to explore each other as well.

Soubi shook himself.

He kept busy scheduling doctor's appointments to try to find the right suppressants, and the real kind, not the emergency syringes he kept in the apartment. He needed the right brand, and dosage that wouldn't mess with his head, and wouldn't let him knot Ritsuka in heat.

A pup's heat came every three months, which was a little more frequent than an Omega, but they generally lasted for a shorter amount of time. That smell though... Soubi could still taste it on his tongue. It had taken everything he had not to take Ritsuka right in the middle of his apartment as soon as he caught the faintest whiff of the sweet scent that rolled off him.

He couldn't wait to finally, finally take Ritsuka, and he only hoped that he would be allowed to claim the pup at the same time. The Alpha in him practically purred at the idea of taking his young pup's ears, _and_ taking him as a mate. If he was allowed that, then even if Kio claimed him afterward, it would calm Soubi's instincts dramatically.

\----------

It became a daily ritual for them. Ritsuka, and Kio would be awake before Soubi, and they used the time to get to know one another through conversation, and scenting. After only a short week, Ritsuka was able to scent Kio on both sides without any problem. His body became accustomed to the close proximity of Kio's scent faster than he otherwise would have due to their prior relationship. Kio was patient with him, never pushing Ritsuka, and never asking to scent him in return.

When Ritsuka woke with a familiar tenderness in his throat one morning, he decided to take the opportunity. It was true that he could wake Soubi, and ask to be scented, but it was about time he took that leap with Kio.

"Kio," he said, making his way out to the kitchen where Kio had already made the coffee, and was waiting for it to drip into the pot. "Could you scent me?"

The Beta turned, and leaned back against the counter like he often did. He was quiet for a while as his eyes slowly cleared of their bleariness. Mornings were difficult for Kio, but he didn't stay in bed like Soubi usually did either. No matter how late he stayed up the previous night, Ritsuka could always find him in the kitchen first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee. From his disheveled state, it had been a late one for him.

Kio dragged both hands down his face, and took a deep breath as he rallied himself into a slightly more awake state of mind.

"Do you think you're ready?" the Beta said, his voice still sleep-filled, and husky. "You only just got accustomed to my scent, and you want to push yourself again?"

Ritsuka nodded, and Kio stretched his arms above his head, making his t-shirt slide up to reveal a thin stretch of skin.

"Alright," Kio said. "Let me get some coffee in me first. How did you sleep?"

They made small talk while waiting for the coffee maker to finish. When it dinged its job complete, Kio poured a cup for Ritsuka, and then for himself. As a comfortable silence stretched between them, Kio took his own cup, and walked around the couch, blowing on the hot liquid inside as he regarded a canvas that he had been working on for a while. The incomplete piece was without a doubt the cause of the dark circles that had formed under Kio's eyes. Ritsuka wished he could ask about it, but he was feeling nervous, his heart beating faster in his chest.

A scenting shouldn't make him nervous, not really anyway. It was true that it was a fairly intimate act, but it was common. Everyone who had scent glands needed them scented at least every few days, or they swelled to aching. When a pup was young, it was common for parents to scent their children until they were old enough to do it themselves. For adults, it is often used to get to know someone's scent a little better, but it was around puburty that scenting usually become pleasurable for both parties. The intimacy of scenting was what made Ritsuka nervous. No one other than his mother, Seimei, and Soubi had ever scented him before, and now he was about to give that up to another. It was through scent that subtle things could be picked up – frustration, sadness...arousal.

"Okay." When Kio spoke his voice was much clearer, the coffee helping to wake him up. "I'm ready now. Tell me what to do."

Ritsuka had taken to sitting on the couch, and he leaned forward to put his half-empty coffee cup on the floor, nudging it farther away so it didn't get knocked over. He gestured to the floor in front of him, and Kio knocked back the last of his coffee before dropping to his knees. The Beta took his glasses off to place them on the arm of the couch.

Kio was calm, Ritsuka could see it in his body language. Of course he wouldn't be nervous, only a child would be this nervous at a casual scenting. The Beta didn't appear to be overeager either. One hand hung loosely by his side while the other rested on the couch cushion beside Ritsuka.

Ritsuka leaned forward a little, perched on the edge of the couch, and tilted his chin up. Kio didn't move right away. He sat still, regarding Ritsuka, and it took him a few moments to realize that Kio was waiting for his consent to begin. The too-long pause made him flush, and he nodded his head.

Kio grinned one of his wide, bright grins. "Don't be nervous, I won't bite. Tell me if you need me to stop, okay?"

Ritsuka didn't respond to the question because Kio leaned in. He moved slowly, but with confidence, both his hands moving to brace on either side of Ritsuka on the couch where they stayed still. Kio didn't hesitate, and swiped his tongue across Ritsuka's skin immediately, making him flinch in surprise. Kio didn't chase him, but waited until Ritsuka calmed down, and leaned forward again. He could feel Kio grinning at him as he lapped lightly at the skin, enjoying his embarrassment, and it made him feel very young. The age difference between him, and the two other men in the house wasn't impossibly large, but it was noticeable.

His embarrassment quickly faded as Kio began to press into the skin with his lips, reddening it, and drawing out more of his scent. He tried to relax to give the Beta what he was seeking, but his heart was skipping, and his eyes had fluttered closed before he had realized. A heat rushed through him, and he bit down on his bottom lip as he tried to keep it contained, out of his scent. The soft groan from the Beta signaled that he hadn't been successful, and he mumbled an apology.

"Don't worry about it," Kio said as he started to pull away. The Beta wasn't panting, but his lips were parted, and his eyes had started to darken.

Kio was moving to get up, and Ritsuka made a soft noise in the back of his throat that gave the other pause. It made the flush return, and he looked away.

"You can continue...if you want," Ritsuka said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

When the warm tongue returned, Ritsuka bit back a moan. He automatically tilted his chin higher, encouraging Kio to press harder. The pressure on his throat, the painful ache that had formed from his own negligence felt good as it was relieved.

"Ritsuka..." Kio breathed.

"Don't stop."

Ritsuka was being pressed back against the couch, and he started at the feeling of being trapped. Kio was panting against his skin now, and while he still didn't touch him with his hands, the Beta's arms were shaking. It wasn't Kio that was pressing Ritsuka, it was Ritsuka who was pulling Kio towards him until they both stretched across the couch. Kio moved to the other side, being a little more rough than when he had first started, his tongue making wide, firm presses that made Ritsuka whimper.

Kio felt good in his hands. He was a little more fit than Soubi with defined back muscles that made him press his fingers into, making the Beta let a soft growl that tingled down his spine. Something warm pressed against the palm of his hand, and it made Kio gasp against his skin. He had stopped scenting Ritsuka, his nose pressed against the hollow of his neck. His entire body trembled as Ritsuka pressed the rapidly-growing bulge with the palm of his hand.

There was the sound of fabric straining as Kio gripped the couch cushion beside Ritsuka's head when he slid his hands beneath the waistband of the loose pants the Beta had worn. Kio wore no underwear, and his cock was warm, throbbing as Ritsuka wrapped his hand around it, giving a little tug that made the Beta roll his hips.

"Ritsuka," Kio panted, but his words turned into a soft moan as Ritsuka nipped at the piercings that were through Kio's ears.

He jerked Kio off with fast, rough strokes that had the Beta muffling his sounds of pleasure in the hollow of Ritsuka's neck. When he came, spilling inside his pants, and over Ritsuka's hand, he gave a deep shudder, and slumped against Ritsuka for a moment before pulling back with shaky arms.

Ritsuka examined his hand that was stained with white. Kio's come was thinner than Soubi's, and ran in between his fingers where it threatened to drip down his wrist. He hadn't intended to jerk the Beta off, but he figured he had come this far, and he gave his palm a lick, which made Kio swear.

"Jesus, fuck. You are sin personified, you know that?" Kio leaned back on his heels, and gave a satisfied sigh.

Ritsuka didn't answer him as he cleaned his hand, and Kio eyed the front of his pants. "Want me to do you? I'm good with my tongue."

"No."

"Fine." Kio got to his feet, wincing at the wetness on the front of his pants. "But when Soubi wakes up, you might not want to be here. He's been good about repressing his urges, but when he smells my come he'll want to open his mate mark again."

Ritsuka nodded, and got to his feet alongside the Beta. Soubi would never be angry at him, even if he had just jerked off his mate, but his instinctual urge to claim Kio again would be overpowering, and Ritsuka wasn't sure he could handle hearing the two of them fuck.

"I'll leave."

Kio grabbed his wrist, and his gaze softened. "Thank you. I know we've all been working hard to make this work, and it's tough on all of us, but don't forget that you're important too. Soubi loves you, and I'm rather fond of you too."

"Thanks, Kio."

 

He went to his university. It was a weekend, and there was no one around, the quiet soothed him. His final exams were coming up faster than he would have liked them to, but nothing could be done. In just a few short weeks after his final exams, his next heat would start. He already knew Soubi was in the process of finding the right suppressants for himself, but it was up to Ritsuka to find a safe place for him to be in heat. He missed his own heat room. It was safe, comfortable, and would have been perfect for him to endure the pain of losing his ears.

It wasn't talked about, the brutality that came with losing ones ears. Teen magazines often played down the significance of the painful process, choosing to focus instead on romance, but Ritsuka wasn't fooled. It didn't take him long to find independent websites that let him know what he could expect from a realistic point of view. Soubi also never played down the process either. It was the main reason Ritsuka hadn't wanted to lose his ears, and also why Soubi had never pushed him. Still, he was going to be taken by an Alpha. Even with Soubi on suppressants, Ritsuka worried that he would be too rough.

He spent a good couple hours studying, and when he was done, began to look online into places where he could ride out his heat. There were special hotels, but each of them varied in the number of services they offered. Ritsuka wasn't looking for services really, but he wanted it to be safe, and quiet. He emailed a few places to set up an appointment to come by, and view the suites available before slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

 

The apartment smelled like sex, and he wrinkled his nose. There was a clear effort made to air out the apartment as the windows were flung open wide, and the floor appeared as though it had been vacuumed. It wasn't much, but the fact that there was an effort made to make him feel more comfortable wasn't in vain.

Soubi turned to him as he came through the door, and offered a smile around the cigarette in his mouth.

"Studying?" Soubi asked.

"Yeah."

"How's it going?"

Ritsuka shrugged, and dropped his backpack beside the couch, a bad habit he was trying to work out of. He felt tired, and wanted a shower, but when he tried to head down the hallway, Soubi's voice stopped him.

"Could we talk?"

He almost groaned, but managed to keep his lips zipped, making his way to the couch, and collapsing on it, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. He knew why the Alpha wanted to talk, and it was his fault, but he didn't know if he had the energy for an emotional conversation.

"Soubi," he started. "I'm sorry. I -"

"You don't need to apologize." Soubi tapped out his cigarette before coming to sit next to Ritsuka. "I just want to make sure you're okay. I smelled your scent, and Kio's come when I woke this morning. I'm worried that he's pushing you. He can be a little manipulative when it comes to what he wants."

Ritsuka shook his head, and rubbed at his eyes to try to clear them. A cup of coffee would go down good.

"It's okay," Ritsuka mumbled. "It was my idea, and I did it on my own. I know he's your mate, and I'm sorry that you probably had some very strong feelings in response to that."

"I did." Ritsuka's feline ear twitched as Soubi ran his finger over it. "But beneath all of that, I am glad that the two of you are working so hard to get to know each other. I know you're not doing it for my benefit, but it makes me happy anyway. I want the two of you to be happy."

Soubi tried to tug Ritsuka onto his lap, but he resisted. He was too tired, and didn't want to be sitting up. It made Soubi smile at him before he was scooped up into strong arms, and carried to their bedroom.

Their scents were much more mingled now, even if Soubi's stronger Alpha smell still overpowered his. The cool colours relaxed him, and the evening sun coming in through the window cast a calming glow on the wall. Soubi's room was free of any trace of Kio's scent, Ritsuka needing at least one area in the house where he wasn't reminded of Kio. Similarly, Ritsuka avoided Kio's bedroom for the same reason.

Soubi stretched him out on the bed, and ran his hand up Ritsuka's thigh, over his ass as the mouthed at Ritsuka's throat. He felt his cock twitch in interest at his lover's touch. It had been long, too long since the two of them had been intimate, Ritsuka focusing on getting to know Kio, and simultaneously not wanting to tread on a new mate's relationship. Now that Soubi was touching him, he wanted it badly. He wrapped his legs around Soubi's waist, pulling them flush together, and giving a little moan as Soubi ground down on him. His lover was already hard, and aching, how had he missed the smell of his arousal?

Ritsuka clawed at Soubi's shirt, following as the Alpha sat back on his heels to pull it up over his head. He straddled his waist, raking his hands over Soubi's nipples, and nipping at his collarbone.

"Ritsuka," Soubi growled, gripping his ass, and thrusting up against him. "Don't."

"Don't what?" Ritsuka teased, running his tongue up the column of Soubi's throat before leaving a trail of firm bites along the underside of his jaw. The act drew a soft growl from the Alpha that made Ritsuka shudder.

"Don't tease me like that. Please, you have no idea how possessive I am of you. When I smelled Kio's come, and knew it was all over you I wanted to take you, mark you as mine again. The idea of you out in public smelling of his arousal, his seed made me crazy."

"So then mark me, Alpha."

Soubi gave a soft whine at the back of his throat, and the grip on Ritsuka's ass tightened almost to bruising.

"Don't. Push. Me."

"Or what? You never let go with me, Soubi. You always have to be in control of yourself, but you let go around Kio. I've never seen that unhinged side of you, and it pisses me off that he sees it all the time."

"That's because I'm dangerous, and I could easily hurt you."

"So you hurt Kio instead? I know you still think I'm a kid, but I'm not. I'm not as delicate as you think. Let go a little." Ritsuka ran his tongue along the edge of Soubi's ear, and felt goose-flesh raise on the Alpha's skin. "I know you want to pump me full, make me smell like you from the inside out. You want to dominate me, so do it. You're my Alpha."

"I warned you."

Soubi jerked himself out from under him so fast that Ritsuka fell back onto the mattress. He didn't have time to recover before Soubi grabbed hold of his ankle, and yanked him down the bed. The movement made the crotch of his jeans ride up, making him wince, but Soubi quickly relieved him of his clothing. When Ritsuka was naked, and left gasping, Soubi pulled him straight off the bed, and forced him to his knees.

Ritsuka gazed up at his Alpha who was naked except for his pants, which he was unfastening with a dark look in his eyes. Soubi pulled his cock out, and stroked himself, slow, while he hooked his thumb in Ritsuka's mouth, forcing his lips apart.

"Open up nice, and wide for me," Soubi growled, and Ritsuka did, flinching as Soubi rubbed the head of his cock against his bottom lip, smearing it with droplets of precome.

His lover's eyes had blackened, his pupils blown. Their sex had always been sweet, and gentle. Soubi never took without giving back, and always left Ritsuka satisfied, but this wasn't just sex. This was a marking, and it was instinctual, primal.

Soubi's hand tangled in his hair, and gripped firm, trapping Ritsuka, and holding him still. When he rolled his hips, his dick slid past Ritsuka's lips into his mouth. When he involuntarily jerked back, Soubi didn't let him, holding firm. He didn't thrust into his mouth either, just waited for a moment as Ritsuka's heart beat loudly in his ears.

When Soubi did finally move, it was slow, easing his cock deeper into Ritsuka's mouth inch by inch. Ritsuka tried to force himself to relax. He had taken Soubi down his throat before, but never under pressure. It was always with Soubi reclined on his back, and the Alpha had never pushed him. Now, as Ritsuka felt the thick head approach his gag reflex, he struggled to stay still. His airway was filled, and as he involuntarily coughed, Soubi pulled back. The Alpha gave a few shallow thrusts before pressing again, making Ritsuka cough once, and pull back, this time pulling his cock completely free.

Ritsuka's head automatically slumped forward, and he panted, gasping for air. When he looked up, Soubi's cock shone with his saliva. Ritsuka licked his lips, and felt them to be wet.

"I told you," Soubi tsked, and there was almost a dissapointment in his voice. It was that tone that made Ritsuka's eyes narrow, and he gripped the waistband of the Alpha's pants as he was about to pull away.

"I can take it," Ritsuka insisted.

Soubi looked doubtful, but Ritsuka fed his cock into his mouth again. He went to work, swirling his tongue over the underside of Soubi's cock, and over the pulsing vein there. When Soubi gave a shove of his hips, Ritsuka didn't gag at first, and he stayed relaxed as the cock heavy on his tongue pushed just a little deeper. Soubi built a steady rhythm, thrusting into his pup, and testing his limit each time. After a while, Soubi was finally riding him, sliding all the way down his throat in a way that had Ritsuka gasping, and clutching at Soubi's jeans.

The Alpha pulled free, and jerked himself off to the picture of Ritsuka on his knees, eyes glazed, and mouth hanging open. He looked utterly debauched as he licked his lips only to open again, waiting to catch Soubi's come on his tongue. It was that sight that made Soubi spill with a soft moan, coating Ritsuka's mouth, and face.

"Mine," Soubi growled, and at that moment, Ritsuka was inclined to agree.


	11. Want You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have much to say about this one other than the smut was a bitch to write. Not sure why, but I had a tricky time with it. Enjoy!

Ritsuka shook his head for what felt like the millionth time that day.

"This one isn't right either," he said, and ignored the tension that was blatant in Soubi's shoulders as he passed by.

They thanked the receptionist for their time, and exited the hotel. Back on the street, Ritsuka could see Soubi trying to keep his mouth shut. He had shown endless patience throughout the last several days, but it was beginning to wear thin.

They had to pay to use a hotel for Ritsuka's upcoming heat. An Alpha could use the hotel, and the services offered for free if they were in rut, but an Omega, or pup didn't have that luxury. They could make use of one of the few special government facilities for free, but just like the last time Ritsuka went through his heat, Soubi wouldn't be allowed to be with him, and being in heat in Soubi's unsealed apartment was practically inviting every Alpha and Beta for miles around to join them. The policies around heat rooms for Omegas, and pups was just one example of how they were second-class citizens.

Ritsuka had done his research, and the prices didn't vary much from hotel to hotel. The services were similar, but it was a specific air that Ritsuka was looking for. He couldn't say exactly, but none of them had felt right.

"It's not going to be like the heat room you had when you lived with your mother," Soubi said in a low voice.

Ritsuka huffed, and started down the street. He was tired – they both were – from days of looking at countless hotels. A tea, and something sweet sounded good right then.

"I'm not looking for anything similar to my old home," Ritsuka replied. "I just want a place where I feel safe, is that too much to ask?"

Soubi didn't respond. He knew well and good that Ritsuka was vulnerable, and uncomfortable already while in heat. He had the added stress of having his ears taken by a strong Alpha who – even with suppressants – could be rather unpredictable. The claiming of a pup would go best in a safe space, but that also didn't mean that Ritsuka had to reject every room they saw.

They met with Kio at a nearby cafe, and Ritsuka shifted uncomfortably, averting his gaze when Soubi nuzzled his mate in greeting, giving his neck a playful nip before settling down beside Ritsuka. The three of them were steadily becoming more open about their affections while in front of each other, but sometimes someone was still uncomfortable. They were all hoping that things snapped into place a little better when Soubi claimed Ritsuka.

Kio sat across from Ritsuka, and gave his hand a squeeze, earning a soft smile in return. Ritsuka, and Kio's relationship was coming along nicely, but they were still learning, still adjusting.

"How did it go?" Kio asked.

Soubi shook his head with a weary sigh. "Nothing yet."

Ritsuka immediately felt defensive, and snapped before he could stop himself. "I'm sorry, I'm trying!"

"Hey," Kio laughed, giving his hand a sudden yank, making the pup lean forward so he could cup his face, making a blush spread across Ritsuka's cheeks. The Beta liked to surprise Ritsuka with his affection, which was something he was still getting used to, so very different from Soubi. "We know. Take your time, okay? If Sou-chan gets too cranky for you, I'll go. You might find shopping with me to be easier because I'd want to break in the room a bit before your heat. The best way to see if it'll work for you is to fuck in it, hmm?"

"Kio," Soubi growled, and the Beta backed off with a soft chuckle.

Normally Soubi was good at allowing the two of them to do whatever he wanted, but after days of wandering the city, he was on edge too. They all were, and they were under the pressure of trying to find the right place before Ritsuka began to let off that maddeningly sweet scent that made Soubi even more possessive than he normally was.

"Why don't we all take some time at home tonight?" Kio suggested. "Make dinner together, talk, cuddle, whatever. It'll relax us, and give us some quality time before Ritsuka's heat. After his ears are gone, there's going to be another adjustment period after he presents."

"I don't want to talk about this," Ritsuka said suddenly.

"We have to," Kio pressed, his tone gentle. "If you don't want to talk about it in public then fine, but if that's the case, we all need to have a conversation, and tonight. We need to talk about the possibility of you presenting as an Alpha because two Alphas with no Omega in the household is going to be rather different than if you were to present as an Omega, right?"

"I know, but -" Ritsuka bit back his words because he didn't think he had the courage to say what was on his mind right then.

 

He was afraid of that conversation, he always had been. That's why they had never spoke about it before, even though Ritsuka knew they needed to. He was quiet all throughout dinner, not listening to Kio's jokes, or flinching when the Beta taunted Soubi into a frenzy that made the Alpha growl, and pin him against the fridge, the scent of arousal blatant. With Kio claimed as Soubi's mate, it made Ritsuka all the more afraid of presenting, so much so that it began to override the fear of the pain of losing his ears.

Ritsuka was so inside his own head that he started when Soubi slid behind him on the couch, the Alpha stretching his legs out, and pulling Ritsuka back against his chest. He felt Soubi's nose press into the top of his head, making his feline ears flick as they were tickled. When Kio slunk onto the couch in front of him, and leaned in close, balancing on all fours, Ritsuka tensed, fearing jealousy from the Alpha behind him, but Soubi just hummed his approval into Ritsuka's neck. The Beta sat back with his legs tucked under him, his knees wedged up against Ritsuka's ass, trapping the pup snugly between the two of them.

"You've been too quiet," Kio said. "We were getting worried."

Ritsuka could feel his heart hammering in his chest, against Soubi's arms wrapped around him. He was always on guard when the two of them were around, making sure not to divide his affection too unevenly between either of them for fear of making them uncomfortable.

"It's okay," Soubi soothed. "We felt the conversation would go smoother like this."

"We'd like to hear your thoughts on presenting," Kio said. "We know that you'll be most likely to present as a Beta, statistically anyway, but that doesn't mean that presenting as an Alpha, or Omega isn't a possibility. If you present as an Omega...well you'll know how that goes, but an Alpha is a different story."

Ritsuka swallowed, and studied the hardwood floor, refusing to meet both their gazes. He was never all that good at talking about his feelings in the first place, but speaking frankly about his fears, especially on this topic was painful. The Beta, and Alpha waited for his response, neither one of them pushing him. They allowed the silence to stretch on, even when Ritsuka began to squirm, uncomfortable between their calm, but concerned faces.

He let out a sigh, pressing back against Soubi, instinctively seeking the closeness of the Alpha.

"M'just scared," he started, trying to make sure he spoke clearly, and didn't mumble. "You've already marked Kio as yours. If I present as an Alpha, it'll be a fight between Soubi, and me over who is true Alpha. I may be less likely to submit to him, and if I don't fit, I'm afraid he'd cast me out."

The soft whine that left Soubi's mouth was of pain, and it hurt Ritsuka to hear it on an emotional level. He didn't want to cause his Alpha pain.

"Ritsuka..." Soubi started, but his voice was strained. "We've been together so long. I love you, so much. I would never cast you out. If you refused to submit to me, then I'd make myself submit to you. As a more experienced Alpha, I believe that I can control my instincts better. Two Alphas in a pack isn't unheard of."

Ritsuka could see Kio nodding his agreement from the corner of his eye.

"And you know that if you'd let me," Soubi continued. "That I'd mark you here, and now, claim you as mine. I've wanted to so fucking badly for a very long time. It makes me crazy to think that you're out in public without my mark, especially when you're close to heat."

"We'd never ask you to leave," Kio cut in, and his hand smoothed up Ritsuka's thigh, making him shiver. "And don't forget, I don't want to throw away weeks of hard work between the two of us either. If you're Alpha, I'd take your knot, and your mark." The Beta leaned forward with a devilish glint in his eye, brushing their chests together just to sweet-talk in his ear. "You'd like that wouldn't you? Make me submit and fuck me raw, pump me nice and full of come until I can't take anymore."

"God, Kio," Soubi breathed, and Ritsuka caught a whiff of a hard spike of arousal.

Kio's dirty talk affected the Alpha more, appealed to his instincts, and Ritsuka flushed at the thought that Soubi also had the added benefit of a visual from personal experience.

"Have we set your mind at ease, Ritsuka?" Kio purred, his breath warm against Ritsuka's ear. "No matter what happens, we would never kick you out. We'll find a way to make it work. Are we done talking? Because – Jesus – I'm already hard, and want to get moving."

There was silence for a moment where Ritsuka felt something was exchanged between Kio, and Soubi. When a hand slid up under his shirt, making its way to his chest, Ritsuka tensed again, and tried to wriggle away. It wasn't that the touch was unwelcome, but he had never been intimate with Soubi and Kio...at the same time. It was always separate, and always in another room while one was either sleeping, or out.

"It's okay," Soubi reassured. "Kio, and I have talked about this. This was the only way we could think of to make you feel welcome, even though Kio bears my mark. If you're not ready, we'll stop, just tell us okay?"

Ritsuka's heart was skipping in his chest, beating too erratically, and the hand that continued up his chest was distracting. When he didn't say anything, deft fingers pinched at his nipple, firm enough to cause a small pain, and make him cry out, but he arched his back anyway. Only Soubi knew to touch him like that, and Kio's surprised, but amused chuckle confirmed it.

"He's a bit of a masochist isn't he?" Kio licked his lips, his eyes betraying his need to touch, but he didn't.

"It was my idea not to discuss this with you beforehand," Kio said. "I wanted to see your surprised face, but I won't go any further unless you say so. If you're not comfortable, I can watch the two of you, or I can leave all-together."

Kio's touch wasn't unfamiliar, nor was it unwelcome. Even though he kept his hands where they were, and had pulled back to watch Soubi toy with him, his thighs were still pressed firmly at Ritsuka's ass, his legs flung over either side of the Beta's hips – spread open for him. His eyes were lust-filled, and needy, an obvious bulge tenting his jeans, but he stayed still, waiting.

When Soubi added his tongue, tracing along the edge of his ear as he rolled his nipple in between his fingers, Ritsuka writhed, and nodded wordlessly.

"Y-yes," he finally bit out. "Yes. Fuck yes. Stay, Kio. Touch me...please."

Kio didn't need any more encouragement as he leaned forward to press his lips against Ritsuka's, his tongue immediately slipping into his mouth. True to his personality, Kio tended to be expressive in bed, and gave soft, hitched moans into Ritsuka's mouth, which the pup returned.

Soubi was warm behind him, and as his hands began to wander alongside Kio's, it wasn't long before Ritsuka lost track of who was touching him where. He writhed under the attention of both men – his lovers, arching as a hand cupped him through his jeans, and squeezed just right. His head was pulled to the side, and a mouth latched onto his neck near the collar of his shirt, giving a firm bite that made him gasp out. Immediately the mouth relented, and pulled back to give the reddened skin a few gentle licks. Ritsuka didn't notice at first when he spread his legs on instinct, making room as Kio nudged them apart. He heard the sound of his zipper being lowered, and opened his eyes as Kio gave him a playful wink.

The quick inhale of breath came from behind him as Ritsuka and Soubi watched Kio pull his cock out, and open his mouth wide. The Beta swallowed him down, and he bit back a moan, but couldn't stop his hips from jerking up into the heat. Kio didn't seem fazed as he pinned Ritsuka to the couch, and sucked his cock as he pleased.

"Shit that's hot," Soubi breathed against his ear, and Kio pulled off him with a pop and a grin.

"Like watching your pup get sucked off right in front of you?" Kio teased.

"Only by you." The growl in his voice was obvious, and Ritsuka felt him tense against his back. Kio picked up on the jealousy immediately, and gave Soubi's thigh a reassuring squeeze as he wrapped his lips back around Ritsuka's cock.

He didn't have time to attend to the Alpha's feelings because all he could do was throw his head back against Soubi's shoulder, and moan as Kio added his hand. The Beta wrapped his fingers around the base of Ritsuka's cock, and stroked up, twisting his wrist in the most delightful fashion. Kio's hand aided in giving sensation where his mouth couldn't reach, and it was no time at all until he was panting, open-mouthed, and keening for release.

Kio teased him, slowing his pace just as the pup felt as though he were about to fall over the edge, and it made him arch his back, trying to buck up into the relentless heat of Kio's mouth, but the Beta pulled up until he could dip his tongue into the slit of his cock. Ritsuka hadn't noticed that his tail had inadvertently coiled itself around Kio's upper arm, the tip flicking against the Beta's skin, stroking, begging, and betraying what he really wanted.

Kio gave a small chuckle, and pulled off, but his hand picked up its pace, squeezing and stroking, slicked by the Beta's spit. Ritsuka squirmed, trying to thrust with Kio's rhythm, but there was none to be had, the pace ever-changing, and making it impossible for Ritsuka to get himself off. He whined, low, and long in his throat, the sound making the Alpha behind him practically purr.

"You want it?" Kio's voice was raspy, his throat raw from swallowing around Ritsuka.

Ritsuka nodded furiously. He could already feel tears of frustration building in the corners of his eyes that had screwed shut somewhere along the line. He knew Kio was teasing him because he wanted to see him needy, and aching – they both did, Soubi included. His logical, independent side was furious, but deep down he liked it, liked the way the two of them knew him so well they could push him right to the edge, and keep him hanging on it without his say-so. It was an inherently intimate concept.

Soubi fisted a hand in his hair tight enough to pull his head back, but not enough to cause pain. As the Alpha slotted their mouths together, the Beta swallowed him again, only this time he didn't let up. He gasped into Soubi's mouth, moaning as he was finally pushed over the edge, feeling the Beta swallow around him. He was worked through is orgasm until he slumped, panting, and whimpering from over-sensitivity when Kio didn't back off right away.

Ritsuka was such an incoherent mess that he wasn't paying attention to the conversation. Soubi slipped out from behind him, and scooped him up in his arms. The warmth, and familiar scent of the Alpha lulled him into a post-orgasm haze where he felt as though he could fall asleep, at least until a weight pressed down beside him on the bed he was set on that definitely wasn't Soubi's.

Kio had moved quickly, and stripped off his clothes in the time it took for Soubi to place Ritsuka on the bed. His unexpected nakedness made the younger flush, but Kio just grinned at him. Ritsuka tried to keep his eyes in decent places, but Kio's body was still new to him, and different from Soubi's that he couldn't help it when it gaze dropped to admire the cock, hard, and leaking in between the Beta's thighs. He was smaller than Soubi, average Ritsuka would suppose, and he was slightly curved to one side. Kio had talked about wanting to get a piercing at the head of his cock, and Ritsuka couldn't deny that he wasn't curious about it. Other than the marring scars at his throat, Soubi's body was left unmodified, and Kio's tattoos and piercings interested him.

Kio made out with him, slowly, and lazily despite the hardness pressing against his thigh. He stripped Ritsuka of his clothing in between kisses, and playful bites that had both their lips swollen plump.

Soubi was nearby, Ritsuka could see him out of the corner of his eye. He stood by the dresser, slowly unravelling the bandage he kept about his neck. He watched Ritsuka and Kio on the bed, and when their eyes met, he smiled gently. It didn't appear as though there were any jealousy in the Alpha's eyes.

He allowed Kio to work him back up, and just as Ritsuka was beginning to get lost in the pleasure a second time, the Beta sat up on his knees. He said something to Soubi who smiled, and handed him a bottle of lube. Ritsuka tensed as Kio coated a finger, and settled in between his legs.

"Shh," Kio soothed. "We're not taking your ears, just relax."

Ritsuka settled back down, and spread his legs to allow the Beta access, but he could still feel the tension in his body. As soon as Soubi shed his clothes, and crawled naked across the bed, Ritsuka felt the saliva pool on his tongue at the sight of his lover's exposed body. Of course, his hungry look wasn't missed, and Soubi moved so he planted his knees on either side of Ritsuka's head, facing Kio so he could watch what was going on. Ritsuka opened his mouth, expecting Soubi to lean forward, and press his cock in between his lips, but he sat back on his heels instead.

The first finger that pressed at his entrance was cold, and slick, making him jump and Kio gave a small chuckle. It didn't hurt, but he hadn't felt the stretch of something opening him up in a long while. It was something he generally reserved for his heats when he began to crave it. Kio hushed him, and fucked him slowly, twisting his wrist as he pressed gently against his walls, stretching him. Soubi pressed two fingers to his lips, trying to give him something to suck on, but he jerked away until his lover gave him what he wanted, and shuffled forward.

His focus was on taking the head of Soubi's cock into his mouth that he hardly noticed when Kio added a second finger, but the addition of the third made his back arch. During his last heat he had played with himself, but his fingers were smaller than Kio's, and he never stuffed more than two into himself. He squirmed, but Kio went slow, pausing to give him time to adjust.

Just as he was starting to relax, Soubi gave a shallow thrust, but stopped before he hit the back of his throat. He didn't gag, and Soubi's cock was large, weighing heavy against his tongue. Ritsuka tried to relax his throat. While he could deep-throat Soubi on occasion, it was rare that the Alpha pushed him. Relaxing for Soubi also forced other parts of him to relax, and Kio's fingers curved up, hitting a spot that made him see spots. The low moan that reached his ears from above him was an echo of his own that had reverberated up the Alpha's cock, making him involuntarily thrust again. This time it was deeper, the head pressing into his throat, and he had the mind to swallow around his lover.

"Ritsuka," Soubi moaned, and the sound was so breathless, so full of need that it made Ritsuka shudder.

He forgot about the fingers playing with his ass until he realized that they were no longer there. As Soubi shivered, and slowly thrust into his mouth, Kio had moved to kneel behind the Alpha. He was mumbling something, and then Ritsuka smelled it, a sudden spike of fear in the midst of all the lust. Ritsuka tried to pull off, but Soubi was half-way down his throat, and his body was pinned beneath his Alpha lover. He coughed around the thickness that clogged his throat, feeling saliva, and precome bubble past his lips.

"It's okay, Ritsuka," Kio said. "Just hang tight for a moment. Can you take him down your throat?"

Slowly, he nodded, and tried to breathe, refusing to think about what was going on.

"He's trying to knot, but don't worry I won't let him push too deep," Kio continued. "Will you choke if he comes down your throat?"

Ritsuka nodded again.

"Okay, are you still interested in getting him off?"

Another nod.

"Good. Can you see my hand? It'll make sure he doesn't push his knot into your mouth. I've also got a grip on his hip that should help prevent my hand from smacking you in the face."

Ritsuka allowed his eyes to travel down to where he saw Kio's hand. It looked like the Beta had a firm grip near the base of Soubi's cock, but he was gingerly avoiding something, and it was a moment before Ritsuka realized that behind the Beta's hand was the beginnings of Soubi's knot. There was only one reason as to why Soubi was trying to knot now, without a heat scent, but he pushed it from his mind lest he choke. The way his eyes travelled down Soubi's cock tilted his head back, and opened up his throat. The Alpha used it to his advantage by jerking forward, but he didn't get far, and he silently thanked Kio's quick reaction.

"Ritsuka," he heard Soubi moan, his voice strained. "I'm sorry. God, it feels so good."

"I'm going to help him thrust now, but it'll be nice, and shallow for you. I don't want him down your throat," Kio said, and as soon as his throat was clear, Ritsuka took a deep inhale, swallowing several times.

Just like the Beta promised, Soubi's movements were shallow, but they weren't slow. Without Soubi down his throat, Ritsuka licked, and sucked as best as he could, but keeping up the pace wasn't easy. He brought his hand to wrap around the rest of Soubi's cock that wasn't in his mouth, and stroked him, drawing a long moan from his lover.

In his restricted position, he saw Kio's hand suddenly squeeze around the Alpha's knot, teasing a strangled sound from Soubi, and his thrusts faltered. The Alpha swore, and Ritsuka heard Kio tut, felt him strain as he tried to bury his knot deep.

"I know you want him..." Kio was mumbling, even as the pace increased ever-more, Soubi beginning to chase after his release. "But if you knot him like this, it'll hurt."

Slowly, he could see Kio's hand as it seemed to loosen, his grip becoming wider as it expanded around Soubi's knot, the Alpha's body tricked into thinking it was tying. Ritsuka felt his heart pump in his chest at the thought that his lover's body was aching for him, and he gave a little moan. Soubi gave a hard shiver above him, and his cock was yanked free of his lips as he came all over his chest.

It was a lot more than a normal orgasm, and Ritsuka watched transfixed as Soubi hissed, and shuddered. When Kio released him it was only a few moments before Soubi slumped, panting.

Kio laughed, a rather self-satisfied sound. "That was unexpected. Thank god you're letting him take your ears during your next heat if he's that desperate."

Ritsuka was busy flushing, the red spreading over the bridge of his nose despite the fact that he was covered in his lover's come. He sat up, and studied Soubi as the Alpha was biting down his bottom lip as though remembering the pleasure he had just felt.

Soubi's knot was large, and fascinated him. He wanted to touch it, but his mind was elsewhere.

He should have been happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention how much I enjoy writing multies? They're tricky because I have to be mindful of where everyone's everything is at all times, but sooo worth it in the end. I hope you enjoyed!


	12. Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The responses to that question on tumblr was insane. Well, you all wanted this so here you go. This wasn't meant to be a complete chapter, but you guys wouldn't leave me alone so here it is. Enjoy!

“I want you to help me through my heat.”

Ritsuka was cuddled up against Soubi on the couch while Kio made dinner for the three of them. It was the Beta's turn to cook, and it made Ritsuka's mouth water. He was the best cook out of the three of them with the exception of a handful of meals that Soubi made.

The Beta turned, the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up past his elbows, exposing the tattoos that covered one arm. He grabbed the towel that had been slung over his shoulder to wipe his hands with. His eyes flicked to Soubi. The Alpha had been sensitive lately with Ritsuka's heat approaching, and the pup beginning to emit that tantalizingly-sweet scent.

"What do you say to that, Sou-chan?" Kio asked.

The Alpha mumbled something under his breath, and pulled Ritsuka tighter against him, resting his nose on top of his head in between his fluffy ears.

The suppressants were toying with his mind. With Soubi's body having already attempted to knot Ritsuka already, he had been prescribed a particularly strong dosage, but it would be a little while yet before his body adjusted to them, and with Ritsuka close to his heat already, his moodiness had increased. It was going to be a rough couples days for all of them.

"Soubi," Ritsuka urged, trying to keep the annoyance from his tone. "We need your input on this. I need Kio there, and you need to be okay with it."

With a little more grumbling, Soubi cleared his throat, the action reverberating along Ritsuka's back. "If you would feel safer with Kio there..." he didn't finish his sentence, leaving his point unsaid.

"Sou-chan," Kio chided. "I know you aren't feeling well, but you need to give the okay for me to be there. It'll make Ritsuka, and myself more comfortable."

Ritsuka felt Soubi nod against his head. "Yes, fine. If that's what the two of you want then Kio, you should be there."

Kio gave an easy smile, and turned back to the food, talking back over his shoulder. "He'll feel possessive of you, of course, Ritsuka. It should be better because I wear his mate mark, and I'll have him rip it open a night, or two before we all go to the hotel. Have you picked one yet?"

"No," Ritsuka said. "I don't like any of them."

"Well, you're going to have to lower your standards because we're running out of time."

 

"I want you to come see this hotel with me."

Ritsuka blinked up at the Beta as he stood beside the bed. It was so early the sun had just barely begun to peek in through the drawn curtains. Ritsuka cuddled closer to Soubi, and willed the Beta away. When Kio insisted, Soubi growled his displeasure, and kicked them both out. The pup glared at the Beta who gave a shrug and, with a sigh, Ritsuka jumped in the shower, figuring he didn't have anything to lose.

 

"Kio, can we go home now?" Ritsuka complained as Kio marched him down the street with an address in hand. "We're not going to find anything today."

"You have to see this one," Kio responded. "I think you'll like it."

Ritsuka sipped the tea Kio had bought him, hoping the caffeine would satiate him for a little while. Even though he was beginning to wake up, Ritsuka still wanted to go home, and snuggle up next to Soubi in bed.

"Here." The Beta stopped in front of a building that looked like a personal residence rather than a hotel.

"Haha Kio. I'm going back home."

The Beta grabbed his wrist.

"Come in with me," Kio said. "Trust me. It's not government run, but they have legitimate heat rooms that I think you'll enjoy."

The entryway looked like a quaint bed and breakfast with an older woman behind a small, worn desk.

"We have an appointment," Kio told her, and she smiled brightly at him.

"You're the pup who has been unable to find a heat room?" she asked of Ritsuka.

He nodded his head politely.

"I think you will find our facilities to be quite adequate. This way please."

She led them up a set of stairs that creaked below their feet, and to a door at the very end of the hallway. It opened with a twist of the decorative door handle, and Ritsuka had bite back the gasp that wanted to escape him as he walked in.

The room was brightly lit with large windows, and a large, four-poster bed. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, and the en suite had a clawed bathtub. Most of all, it had a calm, homey scent that didn't reek of cleaners, or the hundreds of people who had used it before him.

"It's perfect," Ritsuka breathed.

"What did I tell you?" Kio laughed.

They booked the room for the night leading up to his heat, and the night after his heat. It felt as though a large weight were lifted from his chest. Now all that was left was to wait.


	13. Please

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you it was coming, so here it is. The **tags, and archive warnings have changed** so please make sure you read everything very very carefully. This chapter has a warning for graphic depictions of violence as in blood, and gore that may make some people uncomfortable. There is also very dubious consent in this chapter, boarding on non-consensual. It's a very thin line, but I've been warning you guys since the beginning this chapter will be dark. 
> 
> As for this chapter I've been building to this the entire series. This was the reason I started writing this series in the first place, and dragging you all along with me. It's almost over guys, and I'm feeling a little sad. I don't think I'm ready to it to be over yet. Well, enjoy your sinning!

Ritsuka dropped his bag in the room, and opened the windows as wide as they would go. The fresh air calmed his mind. When they would go to bed that night, the windows would have to be closed and sealed so he figured he would enjoy the breeze while he could.

The street was just below them. They were on a bustling little corner with small shops, and tiny vendors. He wanted to go down, and look at everything the shops sold, but it would have to wait until after his heat.

"I know that you're moody, and shit, but you could have at least helped us unload the cab," Kio ranted, heaving a large case of water bottles onto the floor.

The Beta was testy, but they all were.

"Sorry," Ritsuka mumbled, and the Beta's gaze softened.

The scent of fresh blood wafted to him as Kio approached. It came from Soubi's mate mark, and his cheeks coloured at the memory. It had been difficult for him to stay in the house while Soubi, and Kio had fucked in Kio's bedroom. The Beta had tried to keep it down, his voice strained, but the sound still bled through the thin walls: soft pleads of harder, faster, and deep grunts from Soubi.

"What do you say?" Kio said, his tone teasing. "Should we break in the room, make you scream so loud the people on the street hear you?"

A smile quirked corners of Ritsuka's mouth without his consent, but he shook his head. He needed something more, something deeper from his two lovers.

"Hey!" Soubi snapped, and even the uncharacteristically firm tone didn't make the Beta flinch. "Someone go downstairs, and get the rest of the bags."

 

The closeness of his lovers felt good. Soubi was warm against his back, and Kio massaged everything he could reach from the front. It was safe like home.

"Fuck, you smell amazing," the Beta breathed, nosing at Ritsuka's throat, and inhaling deep. "Jesus. If I knew it was going to be this strong I'd have gotten suppressants for myself."

A soft whimper left Ritsuka's throat, and he clutched at the Beta, pulling him closer without letting go. The feel of Kio's cock hard against his thigh made his own dick twitch in interest, but he would have all the time in the world to fuck. Once his instincts took over the last thing he would want to do is cuddle.

"We should close the window," Soubi mumbled, his tone half-asleep. The Alpha was the most exhausted out of the three of them after weeks of controlling his base instincts, and adjusting to the suppressants.

"Fine." Kio reluctantly untangled himself, and shuffled off the bed.

Soubi settled in, and Ritsuka heard him give a yawn before pressing his nose against the back of his neck. The Beta was more energetic as he came back to the bed, making the Alpha growl as the bed was shaken.

When he had settled back in, Ritsuka brushed his hand over the bandage at Kio's collarbone, covering his opened mate mark.

"Does it hurt?" Ritsuka whispered, and Kio shook his head.

"Nah. It just hurts when it's first opened, or reopened."

"Do you like it?"

"When Soubi reopens his mark?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck yes. I get to see him at his most raw. It's hot as hell."

"I'm still scared."

The hair at Ritsuka's forehead rustled as Kio pressed a kiss there. "I'll keep you safe."

 

The itch that had settled under his skin when he woke was unmistakable. His heat was here. He tried to push himself to sit up, but a firm growl stopped him.

"It's okay," Kio's voice interjected before he could panic. "Just relax. What is it you're feeling right now?"

The Beta sounded far away, but before he could look for him, hands were spreading his ass apart, and something wet and wonderful teased at his hole. He gave a soft cry as Soubi's tongue pushed past the tight ring, and slid into him. His heat-addled body was sensitive, and he felt himself twitch around the wet muscle that licked at his insides. His forehead pressed into the mattress as he gave a deep shudder, panting already. Instinctively, he spread his legs wider, exposing himself more to the Alpha, and earning a pleased rumble from behind him.

He rocked his hips, pushing back against Soubi, heat making him needy, and desperate. Having another touch him was better than he ever could have hoped, and when Soubi dipped a finger shallowly into him, he came with a sob, twitching and spurting onto the sheets.

Firm hands rolled him onto his back, and a surge of adrenalin made his heart skip as Soubi crawled up his body. The Alpha's pupils were blown wide with arousal in response to his scent, and the sight made Ritsuka whimper.

Soubi soothed him with soft murmurs of reassurance as he nosed at his neck. He bared his throat for his Alpha, moaning when he lapped at his scent glands.

The relief of his orgasm wasn't going to satiate him for long. Ritsuka could already feel the need pooling in his stomach. It was only the first day of his heat, and he didn't feel any pain, but the close proximity of his lover left him wanting.

He wrapped himself around Soubi, the feeling so right when his ankles crossed at the small of the Alpha's back. Soubi shoved his hips on instinct, the tip of his cockhead slipping against Ritsuka's ass.

"Don't tempt me," Soubi warned, forcing Ritsuka's legs from around his waist, and pinning his hips to the bed with one hand, the angle making it nearly impossible for the Alpha to push into him dry.

The feel of the Alpha manhandling him, controlling his movements made him keen, and he felt his hole flex, wanting something to fill him. He tilted his chin up, bearing his throat again in submission, and instinctively trying to seduce the Alpha. He hissed when Soubi nipped at the skin, latching on and sucking hard enough to bruise. Ritsuka raised his arms to try and wrap them around Soubi, but the Alpha snatched his wrists with one hand, pinning them to the bed while he sucked the sweet scent from the glands on the underside of the pup's neck. He thrashed against Soubi's hold, panting when the Alpha gripped him like iron. Soubi had never controlled him before, not so completely. He was always gentle, Ritsuka's pleasure came before his own, but now Soubi was driven by the instinct to dominate and claim, and it made Ritsuka's heart beat that much faster.

He was already hard again, Soubi's body warm above him as he mouthed at his throat. He could smell Soubi's arousal, the heavy scent of Alpha dulling his senses, but it was tinged with something synthetic: chemicals from the suppressants that made his nose wrinkle.

"Wait," Ritsuka breathed, the word sticky in his throat as his instincts wanted to spread his legs wide, and let the Alpha do what he wanted. "Water, it's going to hurt."

He remembered the painful need that built in his body if he let himself orgasm again, and again. This was heat, and even though it felt amazingly good to have Soubi with him through it, he had to be smart and take care of himself.

Once his ears were taken his heat would end, at least it should. It was rare that heats continue after the pup loses their ears, but it was still a possibility that he had to account for.

A cool cloth pressed against his side, and he started. Kio smiled at him as he cleaned the come from his stomach. Soubi was still leaning over him, panting, and painfully hard. Ritsuka could feel the steady drops of precome smearing onto his thigh, and when he moved to wrap his hand around his lover to give him some relief, he was swatted away. With a soft sound of frustration, Soubi strode into the bathroom, and a moment later the sound of the shower running wafted back to them.

"Will he be alright?" Ritsuka asked, and Kio nodded.

"He knew what it was going to take. This is about your comfort, and safety. You do whatever it is you feel you need."

Like them, Kio wore no clothing, and Ritsuka didn't ask if he wanted relief.

When he was cleaned up, Ritsuka reclined against the headboard, propped up against a couple pillows, and sipped at the bottle of water handed to him by Kio. The Beta sat on the bed a polite distance away that only made a small growl erupt from Soubi when he emerged from the bathroom.

"How are you doing?" Kio asked, watching as Soubi toweled off the ends of his long hair.

"Alright. The suppressants are working, I'm not as fuzzy as I would be. The need to claim Ritsuka is still there, but it isn't as powerful."

Soubi opened a cooler that sat on the floor, and retrieved some energy bars, handing one to each of them. Ritsuka ate quickly, chugging down the rest of the water, and by the time he was done, he was already panting shallowly.

Years of struggling his way through his heats alone had conditioned himself. Ritsuka knew what his body needed, and he didn't realize that he was slowly jerking off until Kio swore under his breath, and looked away. He knew he wasn't fully in control of himself, but a blush stained his cheeks anyway. In twelve more hours he would be too lost in his own pleasure to have any sense of modesty.

The pain hadn't started yet. Throughout the first day of his heat there was only the pleasure, and the slowly building need. There wasn't a particular time where Soubi would take his ears, but Ritsuka wanted to go slow, and make it as painless as possible. The further along he was in his heat when Soubi took him, the less painful it would be as his body would be too amped-up on natural hormones to care.

"What are you feeling, Ritsuka?" Kio said. "What do you need right now?"

A pups' heat was a peculiar thing. His body knew what it needed, and each pup craved something different. Ritsuka hadn't given it much thought before, but now, during his heat, and with his two lovers watching him, he suddenly felt very aware of his previous habits.

He swallowed, and chewed on his bottom lip. Ritsuka could feel his hole clench around nothing. If he were alone, he would have no problem getting what he needed, but he wasn't, and he wasn't ready to turn into a mindless zombie begging for something to fill him.

Kio gave a soft smile, and hopped off the bed to retrieve a box, which he set on the table beside the bed.

"We'll wait for now," the Beta said. "But whenever you're ready your toys are in there. We can use them anytime, okay?"

Ritsuka nodded, and shifted beneath a mixture of arousal and embarrassment. They had discussed his previous habits during his heats, and prepared accordingly. Heats were natural, he knew that, but it didn't change the fact that when it wore on he would be begging for it like a whore.

 

Ritsuka clawed at the bedding below him as he choked on muffled sobs. At the start of the second day of his heat, the pain had settled deep in his veins. It made him feral, and clouded his mind. The room closed in on him, shrank until all he knew were the hands that touched him.

Soubi hushed him, smoothing a hand over the small of his back as he eased a second finger into him. The pressure made Ritsuka arch, he was full, but not nearly full enough. He pushed back, trying to fuck himself on those fingers, but Soubi held onto him, and placed a kiss on this thigh. A high whine slipped from his throat, and he gave a desperate shudder as he willed himself still. Soubi fucked him slowly, lazily, hooking his fingers to tug at the rim of his asshole in a way that burned so deliciously.

"Soubi," he begged, his voice muffled by the bedding. "Please...please."

When his lover's fingers left him empty, he swallowed down the needy sounds, and worked his jaw as he listened to the sound of a cap being popped. He gasped as something foreign, and cool pressed against him. He felt it push at his entrance, and Ritsuka suddenly shoved himself back, taking the entirety of the toy with a loud cry as he was filled. Soubi swore, but it was done, and it left Ritsuka weak and panting.

The plug was a little wider at the base, keeping him opened, and stretched to be able to take Soubi's cock. Its widest point pressed snugly against his prostate, keeping him full, and satiated for now. As he lie, he felt his own cock pulsing, trapped in between his body, and the bed.

"Ritsuka," Soubi said softly. "Are you okay?"

He nodded wordlessly, his mind unable to conjure complete sentences.

"God, you're incredible." The Alpha's voice was deeper, husky, and it made Ritsuka want to help, to satisfy his Alpha, but his body didn't want to move. "Are you okay if Kio sucks my cock?"

Ritsuka nodded again, umoving. He didn't care about anything as long as someone touched him when his need grew too great.

The bed shifted as Soubi moved off it, and padded across the room. A moment later there was a satisfied sigh, and the lewd sound of sucking. Ritsuka lie there with half-lidded eyes listening to Kio swallow, and the soft grunts from Soubi. His cock pulsed when he heard Kio's throat working, imagined him swallowing the Alpha all the way to the hilt, and he whimpered.

He dozed, listened to his two lovers get each other off, the plug filling his ass, and making the rim flutter around the thickest part.

 

"Fuck me," Ritsuka growled, hissing out as Soubi worked another toy into him. It was larger, thicker, closer to the size of the Alpha's cock, but it was still lacking something. He was stretched open wide, wider than he had ever been in his life, but as the end of the second day approached, he was slipping.

"You're not ready yet," Soubi said in a gentle voice. "I'll hurt you."

"I don't care. Soubi -" he was cut off as the Alpha gave a sharp shove with the toy that left him gasping.

The bedding next to his head pressed down as Soubi leaned his taller frame over him to mouth at the back of his neck. The rough scrape of his lover's jeans against the back of his thighs made him shiver. Soubi had put on pants to prevent Ritsuka from pressing back on his cock, but the Alpha was hard, grinding against Ritsuka's ass as he fucked the toy into him.

Faintly he could hear Kio jerking off somewhere to his right, but he paid no attention to it, both Ritsuka, and Kio too far gone for modesty. He moaned openly as Soubi increased his pace, and when his lover's thrusts suddenly became too rough, Ritsuka braced both arms to keep himself from being fucked into the mattress.

His vision was hazed as he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. A mirror was in front of him, depicting him on his knees with Soubi behind him. Ritsuka's lips were swollen from biting down on them, parted, and panting. He looked fucked out, and debauched.The Alpha was using his body to help fuck Ritsuka with the toy, but from that angle it looked like it was Soubi that was fucking him himself, and it made him moan. His lover was watching him, his gaze steady as he stared at him in the mirror.

The suppressants made Soubi's eyes look weird, pupils not quite blown, but there was no mistaking the lust there. Soubi wanted to fuck Ritsuka just as much as Ritsuka wanted it, and the only thing that prevented him from giving into his instincts were a few synthetic chemicals.

"You look so good," Soubi growled, his voice rough. "Imagining its my cock filling you? I'd knot you so deep, press into you so you couldn't move, and breed your tight hole."

Ritsuka shuddered, not used to hearing dirty talk from Soubi. His lover had always treated him with respect, but in his heat-addled state he liked it. His hands fisted in the sheets, and a few hard shoves back onto the toy had him coming with a cry, spilling onto the already soiled sheets.

 

They had been slow, careful, working Ritsuka open until he was gaping, and able to take three of Soubi's fingers with ease.

By mid-way through the third, and final day Ritsuka was in so much pain he wasn't able to move. Each touch of Soubi's hands felt warm, and soothing on his feverish skin, and sore muscles. He clenched around Soubi's fingers, could hear the Alpha panting shallowly behind him because they both knew what was coming soon.

"You're so ready for me," Soubi mumbled. "Fuck, Ritsuka. I've wanted to take you for so long."

"Then do it." Ritsuka's voice was weak, hardly recognizable to his own ears. He hadn't the energy for romanticism, or sweet nothings. Lying on his belly, legs spread wide he waited.

He listened to the sound of Soubi lubing himself up, and his heart began to hammer in his chest. Even in his hormone-crazed daze, he felt a touch of fear: knew the pain that was coming despite the Alpha's attempts to be gentle.

The press of Soubi's cockhead against his rim made him arch, and keen. There was little resistance, and Soubi paused when his body accepted the head. He felt himself clench around the thickness, and something in his heat changed. For the first time in his life, on the third day of heat, the searing pain in his veins began to subside.

Soubi pressed in, slow, and Ritsuka's mouth dropped open at the feel of being filled to the brim. He had toys inside him more times than he could count. Even when he wasn't in heat, he would sometimes shove his own fingers into himself, but toys didn't have a pulse. Toys weren't warm, or had the power to pin him down. It was indescribable, incredible.

"I won't be able to be gentle," Soubi warned, biting at Ritsuka's shoulder even as he ground his hips, not thrusting, just rocking.

Ritsuka nodded his head furiously. He wasn't really listening, just wanted to satisfy the Alpha to get him to move. His feline ears twitched, flicking as though someone had tickled them.

The first shallow thrust had them both moaning, and Soubi began a steady rhythm. With one hand on his lower back, Soubi slid into him smoothly, and Ritsuka purred, closing his eyes to enjoy the sensation. Soubi was warm, and thick, stretching him mercilessly wide. A sudden snap of his hips had Ritsuka gasping Soubi's name, and a different kind of pain spiked through his body.

It was a warm pulse that soon became too hot, feeling as though boiling water were being poured over his ears. He whined, and tried to flatten his ears down against his head, but the pain increased. His heart raced, and he jerked. The Alpha had a firm hold on his waist, and rested his other hand in between his shoulder blades, pinning his front to the bed. He was forced to take what the Alpha was giving like a bitch. Instinct was taking over, and Ritsuka hissed as Soubi's thrusts became deep. For a moment the pleasure whited-out the pain as the Alpha's cock struck something inside him that had him panting.

The warm wetness of Soubi's tongue against his ears soothed the burning as the Alpha whispered encouragement, and praise. He cried out when he felt Soubi mouth at his ears without using his tongue. There was a delicious pleasure-pain as he pushed back against his Alpha.

"Make him come," Kio's voice commanded from somewhere off to the side. "I'll be less painful through his orgasm."

A growl rumbled through Soubi's chest, and he plunged forward, hitting that perfect spot that had Ritsuka shuddering. His Alpha was taking him like an animal, and damn if he didn't like it. With one hand still pinning his front to the bed, Soubi stroked his cock until he cried out his orgasm. Soubi grunted behind him, and Ritsuka felt his thrusts stutter as his ass clenched around the Alpha's cock.

"Fuck, he's so tight," Soubi muttered, and through the haze of orgasm there was a terrible pain. It shot through his body, and he instinctively tried to buck Soubi off him, but the Alpha held him fast. A sob wrenched from his throat, and he felt something wet trickle through the hair at the top of his head.

"The other one," Kio said. "Quickly before he recovers."

"No. No please, Soubi. It hurts. Its hurts stop," Ritsuka babbled, his voice a soft, pleading tone.

Soubi rocked into him, his thrusts more gentle, and the pleasure numbed the pain. The terrible pain he had felt a moment ago was being overshadowed, but something was wrong. Ritsuka reached to touch the top of his head, and he whimpered as his fingers slid through a substance that could only be blood.

"It's going to start to hurt," Soubi cooed in his ear. "Let me take the other one."

Ritsuka panted. Soubi had stopped thrusting, but he could feel the warm pulse of his cock deep inside him. Adrenaline buzzed in his ears, but as he lie still, and the natural dulling sensation faded, the pulse of pain returned. He cried out as it felt as though someone where ripping off his remaining ear, even as Soubi did nothing. He heaved a sob, feeling tears track down his face.

"Will you let me finish now?" Soubi said gently, and Ritsuka nodded his head.

"Make it stop. It hurts. It hurts."

"Shh, I've got you."

When Soubi pulled out, Ritsuka reached behind him to try, and grab at him, but he was flipped onto his back. When Soubi slid into him the pleasure returned, but something was still wrong. He didn't want it like that, and with a whine he wriggled until he was back on his hands, and knees.

"Jesus, Ritsuka," Soubi growled, pressing against his back. "You want it like this, huh? Like it nice, and deep?"

He moaned as Soubi resumed a fast pace, slamming into him until all he could hear was the slap of skin against skin. Ritsuka was shoved forward so hard that he jerked until his nose nearly smashed into the headboard. Something filled his field of vision, and it took a moment to realize that it was Soubi's arm. The Alpha had grabbed hold of the headboard, and was using it as leverage to fuck as deep into the pup as he could.

"Soubi," he groaned, feeling his cock jump as the Alpha pinned him again. He knew it was the Alpha's instinct to dominate, and claim, but something inside him needed it.

As his second orgasm ripped through him, the pain returned. He felt Soubi's teeth closing around his other ear, and with a shake of his head, ripped it from his skull.

The Alpha's thrusts were faster now, more erratic, and when Soubi pressed in deep, Ritsuka felt his cock twitching inside him as he was filled.

They lie together, panting. There was a buzzing in Ritsuka's ears, a pleasure-pain as he rested in his after-glow.

"Fuck, you two," he heard Kio swear, and lazily opened his eyes to see the Beta walk into the bathroom, and saw him watch his hands through the open door. "That was so hot."

He came back to the bed carrying a first aid kit, and Ritsuka refused to move at first. After a gentle prodding from his lovers, he sat up, and allowed them to tend to his wounds.

The sheets were ruined, soaked through with blood, and semen. Ritsuka swallowed, and averted his eyes from the discarded piles of fluff that probably still had pieces of skin attached to them. He winced as Kio smoothed salve onto the wounds that made his hair stick, and dabbed at the steady flow of blood with a cloth. Soubi handed him some painkillers, which he swallowed down.

They would have to go to the doctors to make sure he was okay, but for now all he wanted to do was rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my [tumblr](https://neonna.tumblr.com/) for fic updates, porn, and maybe even original work.


	14. Ever After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go you sinners. Over 50, 000 words, and seven months later. Wow, what a ride. Thank you for sharing this with me, and thank you everyone for your support. I don't know what else to say about this series really. What started out as a half-assed request morphed into my biggest, and most celebrated series. So...thank you again. <3

The pain was what dragged him from a dreamless sleep. Just as he was yanked to the surface, Ritsuka sat up, his hand instinctively going to the top of his head. The brush of his own fingers was enough to make him yelp.

Memories came flooding back as well as a deep blush that heated his cheeks. His heat, how needy, and desperate he'd been. Kio and Soubi had seen that, participated in it, and then some.

Slower now, Ritsuka reached back to the top of his head. His head was shaved, his fingers brushing over two stubbly bald spots. Deeper in were the bumps of stitches replacing where his ears had been. They were tender, fresh.

He was in Soubi's – his – bedroom, but Kio's scent flooded his nose. The Beta had been nearby, perhaps on the bed even. As Ritsuka parted his lips to wet them, the twin scents became stronger, invading his mouth, and settling on his tongue. He coughed, and swallowed, his dry throat scratching as he choked on the scents.

The door banged open, and Soubi rushed into the room, a glass of water in his hand, and a concerned look in his eyes. The cool glass found its way into Ritsuka's hands, and he gulped it down, barely registering when Soubi felt his forehead.

"How do you feel?" Soubi asked after he relinquished the glass.

Ritsuka took stock of himself, or tried to. Soubi's scent was overpowering. It felt like when Ritsuka had first started living with the Alpha only this time Ritsuka's scent was just as strong.

"I can...I smell too much." Ritsuka's voice was hoarse, scratchy, and it was painful to speak.

Soubi nodded, but didn't say anything more.

"Soubi, what happened? What did I present as?"

Soubi smiled gently, but there was something behind it. Even as his Alpha brushed what was left of his hair aside, he felt his eyelids growing heavy. Blackness began to enclose around Soubi's face until it was all he could see, and he felt himself being dragged under again.

 

"How long will you be?...Well you should be here, you know that. Okay. Okay, fine. Bye."

Ritsuka forced his eyes open to see Kio stuffing his phone back in his pocket. An uneasy look permeated his features for just a moment before being replaced by his easy smile as the Beta saw Ritsuka stirring.

"How are you feeling?" Kio asked, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. The weight of the Beta, and the shifting of the mattress made Ritsuka's stomach lurch.

"I'm tired," he said, slowly sitting up with the Beta's help.

Kio nodded. "We were advised to keep you under by the doctor to give you a chance to get used to everything again. Your body went through a big change. If you feel it's too much, we can give you the medication to make you sleep."

"Where's Soubi?"

"He went to the gallery. I tried to get him to stay home, but he went anyway."

"Typical."

Kio's scent wasn't as strong as Soubi's, but it invaded his nose nonetheless. There was an itch under his skin, and he felt drawn towards the Beta. His body wanted to be touched, to be close to someone, and when his hand brushed Kio's it felt as though a shock jolted through his system. Goose flesh raised on his skin, and Ritsuka recoiled. Kio was patient, unmoving with his smile still firmly in place.

His mouth opened, and then closed. He wasn't sure what he wanted to say, his mind felt muddled, and out of sorts. A lump was forming in the back of his throat, and he knew his eyes were already wet. He was going to cry, and he hadn't the slightest idea why.

"It's okay," Kio soothed, but made no move to touch him. "Presenting can be a strange experience. Just relax, and try to get used to the new sensations. I'm here, and soon Soubi will be too."

While Kio was speaking the air rushed from his lunges, and he tried to get it back in by sucking deep breaths, but it wasn't working. His heart was racing, and he was going to suffocate.

"Ritsuka..." Kio was saying something. He was so far away. "...panic attack. Drink this."

 

"No!" Kio's voice was low, a hiss that cut through the silence of the room. "I'm not letting you leave. You're needed here. He's still adjusting."

"Soubi?" Ritsuka's voice cracked, and as he opened his mouth he tasted it. Soubi was in the room, just out of reach.

There was shuffling, the bed pressing down, and suddenly Soubi's scent was everywhere. His body was warm, and Ritsuka pressed his nose into the crook of his lover's neck. With Soubi pressed to his front, Kio joined them, and Ritsuka was surrounded by warmth. Something in the back of his mind purred.

 

_Six Months Later_

Ritsuka ached. It hurt like when he still had his ears, but it was so much worse. He was afraid to move lest something in him shift, and give way to the blinding need. As long as he lie still he had it under control.

The sound of his own shallow pants was all he could hear in the stuffy room. The air around him was too warm, and he felt like he was suffocating, his lungs struggling to breathe. The bedding was soaked beneath him as his body released another pulse of slick. He wanted to roll out of the mess, and have a shower.

A low whine slipped from his throat, an instinctual cry for his Alpha that went unanswered. He felt like a dog waiting for his master to return.

Toys of all sorts were discarded around him: some were thick, some thin, some vibrated, and some imitated an Alpha's knot, what he was craving so badly, but they weren't the real thing, wouldn't truly satiate him.

When he heard the door to heat room open, and then close, the scent of an Alpha – his Alpha – reaching his nose beneath his own sickly sweet scent, Ritsuka tried to utter a greeting, but it twisted into another desperate whine. The sound of clothing being hurriedly removed made his heart skip a beat, and his body was moving without his consent. He was raising his ass, pressing his front down low into the mattress, and presenting himself for a good fucking.

When he felt the bed dip down with weight, Ritsuka turned his head to look over his shoulder, and for the first time, he saw it; without the dulling of suppressants, Soubi's pupils were blown wide, and there was hunger there. His lips had already parted, sucking in more of Ritsuka's own scent. Soubi was trying to stay grounded, but he was slipping, being dragging down into Ritsuka, and Ritsuka was going to go right along with him.

"You smell so good," Soubi murmured, and the brush of his hand against Ritsuka's hip was electric, making him jolt.

Soubi's warmth pressed against his back as he leaned over to nuzzle the nape of Ritsuka's neck. He immediately tilted his head to the side, exposing himself in an instinctual action of utter submission that earned an approving growl from his Alpha. At that moment he would submit, so completely if that's what it took to get Soubi to fuck him. He could feel the Alpha's cock hard against the back of his thigh, and he shivered.

"Soubi," he breathed, his voice muffled by the mattress as he pressed his face into the fabric, driven crazy with need. "Soubi...please. Fuck me. I need it."

"I can't." A finger trailed through the slick down his thighs before pressing into his sopping hole, and making him squirm. "Give me a moment, or I'll be too rough with you."

Ritsuka felt his chest vibrate, and a primal sound that came from him, but it died almost instantly when faced with Soubi's more powerful growl. He was pinned to the bed by a heavy weight on his back that crushed his chest, making him gasp for air, but the Alpha didn't let up right away. He pressed down with his weight until Ritsuka's world began to spin. When the weight was suddenly gone, Ritsuka tried to suck in a breath, but it was stolen from him as Soubi pushed his cock into him, sheathing himself in one fluid movement.

His mind reeled, something deep in him hissing as he was stretched around the Alpha's cock, and Ritsuka's lungs still starved. Soubi gave him time, unmoving until Ritsuka began to squirm on his cock, desperate for friction. When Soubi remained still, Ritsuka hunched forward, and drew a shaky breath, trying to pull himself together. He knew what Soubi was doing; he was being dominated so completely, and it felt right, the Alpha appealing to his innermost nature.

When Soubi shifted, drawing his hips back, and pressing to the hilt in a shallow thrust, Ritsuka's eyes fluttered. This was what he had been waiting for, been craving, and it made him coo. The steady pace didn't last. As both of them slid deeper into their instincts, the sex turned rough, and Soubi fucked him with deep hard thrusts that made him howl.

Ritsuka braced himself with his arms, and pushed back to meet each lunge. There was a desperation to their love-making. It was rushed, animalistic, and Ritsuka needed more, the thing in him not yet satisfied. He was growing restless, but before he could do anything about it, Soubi pressed him into the mattress again, his thrusts turning frantic. Soubi was swelling, Ritsuka could feel the beginnings of his knot catching on the rim of his asshole each time he pulled out, requiring a bigger push to force it back into him.

"Ritsuka," Soubi panted. "Oh, god. Ritsuka it's so strong. I'm not going to last."

Ritsuka didn't want him to, everything in him screaming for his mate to knot.

"Do it," Ritsuka challenged. "K-knot me. I want your pups, Soubi please!"

The Alpha groaned, and pressed deep. A pain on the back of his neck blinded him as Soubi tore open his mark, but the rightness of it made him shudder. He felt himself go limp under his Alpha.

For a long moment, Ritsuka lie panting, feeling the Alpha pump him full. Soubi shifted and sat back, easing Ritsuka onto his lap, and being careful not to tug at the knot that locked them together. Then Soubi began to jerk him off. It was a surreal feeling at first, getting off to the feel of warm come filling him up, but the pleasure soon overwhelmed him.

Ritsuka gasped, clenching down on the knot buried inside him, and drawing several strong pulses. Nails raked down the sides of Soubi's arms, but he didn't let up, stroking his cock with fast, rough strokes until Ritsuka was crying out his name as he came.

He rode his high as long as he could, catching his breath. When reality slammed into him, and he realized what had spewed from his mouth, Ritsuka flushed. Male Omegas were sterile. He had always known that, but it didn't stop him from uttering it as he was being fucked. A small part of him had to resist running a hand down his flat stomach.

Before he could say anything, they heard the front door to the apartment slamming outside the heat room. Soubi shifted a bit behind him as they heard Kio move towards the room.

"I hope you're ready to go again, Ritsuka," Soubi said, planting a kiss behind his ear. "We'll make sure you're never left wanting during your heat again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my [tumblr](https://neonna.tumblr.com/) for fic updates, porn, and maybe even original work.

**Author's Note:**

> Finally have a new [tumblr](https://neonnawrites.tumblr.com/) Feel free to drop by and say hello!


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